Finding Doric's Line
by Chemiclord
Summary: Shortly after the events on Hell's Precipice, a tragedy casts the kingdom of Ascalon into great uncertainty. Devona and her team is sent to find the last possible surviving heir of King Adelbern, but even if they find him, is peace guaranteed?
1. Chapter 1

**Finding Doric's Line**

**Chapter One**

"Curse it!" Devona snarled as she watched one of the hulking Titans break through the line and charge for the portals behind her and the valiant Chosen warriors. Her anger turned to horror as she watched the four legged fire monster turn towards the portal that held the charred towers of Rin's Royal Palace in its center.

"No!" The warrior howled, and with one near berserker flail of her hammer, gained separation from the smoldering spawn of one fallen Titan, and forced her legs to move with all the speed her frame could carry to try an intercept the lumbering beast.

Unfortunately, it moved with a speed unnatural to its size, and had too much of a head start, disappearing through the portal moments before Devona was even within a full sprint's distance away.

"Devona! Take your team and go after it!" A voice shouted across the battlefield, likely the leader of the primary team. "We can handle things here, but that monster can't be allowed to reach Rin! Go!"

Devona wouldn't have argued, even if she had wanted to. "Mhenlo! Aidan! Cynn! Hurry! We don't have much time!" She ordered, not waiting for them to catch up before jumping through the portal in pursuit of her quarry.

She was momentarily taken aback by the abrupt lack of ground when she materialized back onto the slopes of her childhood, dropping about two feet before collapsing unceremoniously in a heap.

Ignoring the minute discomfort in her right thigh, due to the fall, she quickly jumped to her feet, and started to sprint again, only to hear the sound of grunting behind her. At any other time, she might have laughed at the sight before her as she turned about; her three companions in a tangled heap, followed by a resounding slap that she assumed was Cynn delivering retribution for some perceived attempt by one of the men to place their hand in a more sensual area.

Of course, this wasn't any other time. So Devona resorted to a terse, "Watch the first step. Now get up and start moving!"

The Titan had nearly three hundred yards of space, and no matter how Devona forced herself to run, it just didn't seem that she could close the distance. The battered walls of Rin were in sight, the gigantic fire beast already forcing its way through a break in the city exterior. It bought Devona and her team some time, as did the mustering of Rin's defense forces, but not enough for Aidan to even be in range to take a hurried shot.

Devona's hopes steadily dwindled as the beast continued at breakneck speed towards the palace, seemingly ignoring anything in its way… people… animals… buildings… literally anything.

Nonetheless, Rin had one more defense... it worked against the Charr, and it would prove to have some effect on this latest threat. From the cliff face to the northeast, the trembling blast from Stormcaller prompted the skies to darken, the rumble of thunder, and then finally a near blinding deluge that quickly soaked everyone exposed to the bone… including a certain monster of flame.

Raindrops struck rapidly, each droplet sizzling on the Titan's smoldering carapace, causing the beast to momentarily stumble, only to then continue to stagger forward on its path of destruction. However, that at long last gave Devona and her comrades to finally close the distance, and engage the beast.

Water flew off the hammer's head in a violent arc as the crushing maul slammed into the Titan's left rear leg with a sickening crunch, sending ashen flecks scattering momentarily before being forced to the ground in moistened sulfuric clumps. The Titan staggered then spun about, swinging with one massive, clawed hand that Devona ducked under, before swiping upward with her hammer, connecting once again at the elbow of sorts, before the warrior was finally forced back by the still sweltering heat emanating from the Titan's core.

Before the monster could press its advantage, two gleaming arrows imbedded themselves halfway into the creature's head, jerking it backward from the force of impact. It flailed wildly, and Devona spun away from the first thrashing claw, only to be struck soundly in the back by the second. She clenched her teeth in pain as she heard the crunch of bones in her back and a numb sensation drift down from her hips.

Devona tumbled limply along the ground, but before she even came to a stop, she felt sensation return to her legs, and a warm, comforting energy roll up her spine. By the time the Titan had regained its wits, and began another charge, Devona was ready, smacking one claw away with her hammer, and rolling back from what would have been a painful bite.

That moment of clearing gave Cynn the opening she needed to cast her spell, a burst of freezing power that seared the Titan's carapace like a glowing hot iron onto human flesh. The spell had a secondary effect, chilling the rain around the Titan into tiny daggers of ice that pierced the beast's normally rock hard shell.

Devona then jumped back into the fray, leaping and swinging in a downward bash, connecting with the top of the Titan's bowed head. This time, the cracking sound prompted a shattering one, and without the hard outer layer, the molten interior of the Titan spilled out, and it collapsed in a heap.

"We aren't finished yet." Aidan warned, though it was hard to imagine that any of them would have forgotten. True to the ranger's claim, the rest of the carapace split, and a slightly smaller beast forced its way free. The Ember Hulk roared, and lunged at its attackers, deciding to try and forgo the ferocious warrior, and charge at some potentially less hardy adversaries.

Devona swiped at the Hulk's heels as it charged towards Cynn, who squeaked in momentary panic, no spell ready to meet its attack. But mere feet from striking, the Ember Hulk was struck in the side by an unseen force that actually lifted it off the ground, and sent it crashing almost ten feet away. Out of the corner of her eye, Devona saw Mhenlo panting in relief, his staff thrust forward in trigger of one of his many smiting spells.

Devona gave no opportunity for the beast to rise again before her hammer once again struck violently into the abdomen of the Ember Hulk, crushing its vital core with her devastating blow.

Nevertheless, Devona knew that not even this meant the end of the fight, and even though she was expecting the two minor flame beasts, she was caught by surprise by the suddenness of the attack.

Her vision was filled by the fiery monster, and she then felt its grasp around her arms, it touch immediately burning her exposed skin and forcing her hammer to fall from her grasp. She kicked desperately at the chest of the minor Titan, but it refused to relinquish its hold, even as Aiden and Cynn began attacking it.

"Don't worry about me!" Devona ordered, "Stop the other one!"

That's when they saw the second minor Titan… but far too late to do anything about it. The other creature charged into one of the corner supports of the palace, then with a deafening explosion, sent the entire side of the wall collapsing into charred rubble.

Devona momentarily forgot the pain she was feeling, overcome with horror as she watched the scene unfold. Without the support of the corner battlement, the central tower of the Royal Palace teetered uncertainly, before collapsing downward and to the side, a thick plume of dust marking its fall.

Horror then turned to rage, and Devona resumed the attack on the minor Titan holding her with a berserker's fury. She twisted her body, and delivered a two-footed shot directly to the monster's head, and that, coupled with a well placed arrow to one of its arms, forced it to release the warrior, who with a roll gathered up her hammer, and lunged forward with a side-swiping blow that knocked the monster to the ground.

She then pounced on her fallen enemy, bracing her feet against its arms and she rained down a frightening bevy of blows onto its torso and head, brutally attacking even as the creature went limp, and its glowing surface faded.

She felt a hand fall on her shoulder, and it was only her sharp reflexes that kept her from caving in Aidan's head. "I think you got it." He said simply.

The fall of the Titan seemed to prompt the magic of Stormcaller to fade, as the rain steadily let up until was nothing but a light drizzle. Again the hammer fell from Devona's hand, but this time it was because she let it drop, finally starting to decompress, starting to feel the pain and fatigue as Mhenlo's healing prayers worked on her badly burnt arms.

The sounds of rising panic jolted Devona to full alertness, then she noticed that the people of Rin were rushing towards the palace, greatly agitated by something. The warrior's eyes bulged, and she yelped, "The King!"

She pulled herself from Aidan's grasp, and joined the masses who were now digging through the rubble, occasionally pulling out severely wounded or dead soldiers and retainers. Feverishly, Devona tossed chunks of masonry and brick to the sides, praying for some sign… anything… something…

And at last she found that sign… a hand, streaked with blood, burst from the debris barely a foot from her, and with a shout, she started digging away. Apparently, no one save her companions heard her, as only their hands added to the efforts, clearing away the soggy remains from the face and chest of King Adelbern.

The monarch coughed, and started to speak, but Devona silenced him, grabbing his blood soaked hand. "Don't try to talk, your highness."

"It's too late… for that…" The King retorted weakly. "You must call… for Rurik… tell him that… I'm proud of him… and that he will be a good king…"

Devona momentarily choked up, remembering the events on the Shiverpeaks, and of Rurik's grand sacrifice for the refugees of Ascalon. She simply couldn't bring herself to tell the dying monarch the truth. "I'll do so." She promised.

At that point, King Adelbern seemed to realize who he was talking to. "Devona… you're Devona… Julian's little girl…"

"Yes, your highness." Devona replied, somewhat surprised that he remembered her.

"I'm sorry that I will not be able to attend your wedding, my dear. I'm sure it will be splendid."

Devona smiled, finding herself somewhat embarrassed, "I'm sure it would have been."

"I am glad you returned. Ascalon will need people like you. Rurik will need people like you… and… my dear…"

Unable to finish the sentence, the eyes of King Adelbern went dark, and his hand slackened in Devona's palm, and she sorrowfully pulled it onto his heart.

"May you… and Rurik… find peace at lasts in the Mists." Devona said, not even ashamed at the crack in her control as the tears slid down her face.

"Madam Devona?" A nervous voice asked, and she wiped away her tears to turn towards the soldier that had approached. "Have you found…"

"Summon Duke Barradin, wherever he is at this point." Devona muttered. "The King is dead."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Devona heard the sound of a young boy crying… but at first, she couldn't make out the words. She pushed up her blankets, and snuck over to the door of her bedroom. She wasn't supposed to be up at this time of night, and knew her mother would be most cross at her… but curiosity overcame the fear of punishment.

She creaked the door open ever so slowly so as not to alert the occupants outside, and peeked with one eye through the slit she had created. She couldn't see anyone from the hall, but she could tell that someone had lit candles, and now she could also hear what was being said more clearly.

"You poor thing… don't you worry. I have a messenger heading to the palace right now, and he will no doubt bring someone who will return you home safe and sound." Her mother's voice said. "But whatever were you doing wandering about outside at this time of night?"

From there, the little boy's voice spoke with a despairing wail "Rurik asked me if I wanted to see something amazing outside. I followed him… then he said I could find my own way home, and he left me!"

"Oh dear!" Her mother replied with a gasp. "I know older brothers can be cruel, but that was a dangerous prank to pull on anyone, much less a young prince! Have no worries little one, your father will not let these antics go unpunished!"

A prince? Here? Devona's gasp of surprise came out before she could restrain it, and the shadows playing along the hall turned abruptly.

"At ease, your little highness. I suspect that is just my daughter, who should not be up at this forsaken hour." Her mother said disapprovingly. "But… Devona, since you are so curious, why don't you come out here?"

Surprised at the permission, Devona didn't immediately respond to her mother's summons, and even once she did, she entered the main living quarters nervously, as if expecting to be punished once she was in the open.

Instead, her mother's hand fell on her back, and guided her in front of the boy she had heard from her room. He was slightly taller than her, with scruffy brown hair and bright green eyes that dominated otherwise fair facial features. He was dressed in slightly torn and obviously expensive purple silk nightclothes, as well as very intricately woven leather sandals. The boy paused to wipe the last remnants of tears from his eyes.

"Devona, this is Prince Coran." Her mother said warily. "Do be respectful."

The boy waved timidly, and said nervously, "Hello."

Devona didn't return the wave, but did say happily. "Hello!"

"Devona, you say, 'good evening, your highness', and curtsey like I taught you."

The girl frowned, strongly disliking the formal rules of etiquette that her mother forced upon her nearly every day, practicing them because it was the only way her mother allowed her to practice her fighting. Coran himself shrugged, as if to silently imply that he really didn't care either way, nonetheless with her mother present, she was compelled to do as told.

"Good evening, your highness." Devona amended with as slight of a curtsey as she could feasibly get away with.

"Very good, dear." Her mother answered approvingly. "Why don't you show the prince around while I straighten up a few things? It simply wouldn't do to have some of the King's men to see a homestead in disarray."

Devona quickly grabbed the boy by the hand, and said, "I can show you my favorite place! Come on!"

"Devona! Be respectful! Don't rip his highness's arm off in your impetuousness!"

"Sorry mother…" Devona replied. "Sorry, your highness."

Coran's response was another dismissive shrug, and that unspoken permission gave Devona the comfort to pick up her pace the moment they were out of her mother's eyesight.

Noting that the prince had been relatively quiet, Devona took it upon herself to get him to say something. "So… how old are you?"

"Ten." Was Coran's simple reply.

"I'm nine. Do you like living in the Palace?"

"Somewhat."

"I think I'd like it. Do you have a lot of rules as a prince… like having to bow or say 'your highness' a lot?"

"Yes."

"Oh… maybe I wouldn't like living there then. I hate all those rules, don't you?"

"Sure."

"Are you always so quiet?" Devona asked wryly.

"It's not my place to talk a lot." Coran replied. "One of those rules you'd no doubt hate."

Devona giggled, sensing that the prince was trying to be amusing, even if it might not have seemed that way. "You're funny. Anyway, we're here!"

"Where?" Coran answered, blinking at the thick oak double doors as Devona pushed them open with a slight grunt.

"My training room!" She chirped. "Well… it was my father's, and I really don't do much here… yet, anyway. My father fought in the Guild Wars, you know. He was a leader of Ascalon's Chosen."

"Did he? Where is he now?"

Devona frowned at the memory. "He died… defending Ascalon against an attack from a guild from Orr."

"Oh. It must be tough."

"Mom and I do alright. Your dad, the King, helped us through a lot. He paid for this house in full in thanks for my what my dad did. But sometimes… it hurts not to have him here."

"I… know how that feels. My mom died giving birth to me. There are times that I think Rurik hates me for it. Like now."

"I heard… that was mean of him."

With a desire to change the subject, Coran took the initiative, and asked, "So, what do you do in here?"

Devona clapped once, excited to talk about something that interested her greatly. "Well, my master teaches me how to use a sword and weapons and stuff."

"Like that one?" The prince asked in awe, pointing to her father's Rinblade handing on mounts along the north wall. The sword was nearly as big as she was, so it made sense that he'd be amazed.

"No…" Devona answered with a shake of her head. "I have wooden practice swords and hammers that I use. I'm not big enough to use a real sword, my master says. One day I will be though." Suddenly worried that she might be neglecting her guest, she asked, "Do you have a training room like this?"

Coran shook his head. "Rurik might, but he doesn't let me in his."

"They don't train you to fight?" Devona asked, surprised that a prince wouldn't be allowed to do such a thing.

"The Palace priest says that I have the favor of Dwayna." Coran answered.

"Ohhhh…" Devona said. That made sense. "So you're gonna be a monk?"

Another one of Coran's now frequent passive shrugs followed the question. "I guess."

"Do you know any prayers?" She asked. The monks that she occasionally saw in town intrigued her to some extent, and she was always curious how they did what they did, but her mother never let her ask such "inappropriate questions".

"A few." He answered, nervously rubbing his hands together, as if embarrassed by his abilities in some way.

"Can you show me?"

"I'm really not supposed too…" The prince answered. "The blessings I have are only supposed to be used in emergencies."

"Oh." Devona replied. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to try and get you in trouble."

"It's alright."

From that moment, they heard Devona's mother suddenly yelp from the main living space,. "Your… highness! I… I wasn't expecting you!"

"And why wouldn't I?" the full voice asked with a touch of good humor. "You have found my wayward son, after all."

"Your highness, I beg you to be easy on the boy. His brother tricked him."

"Oh, I'm sure. My other son has a slight penchant for this sort of behavior. You'd think that a seventeen year old young man would have better things to apply his energy to than terrorizing his younger brother. Fear not, my lady, I will make sure such a thing does not happen again."

"It was certainly no trouble, your highness. The prince was understandably frightened, but he has been a pleasure to watch over, I assure you."

"That is kind of you to say." The King said, then called out, "Coran! It's time to go!"

Coran started, even though he had to have expected something like this. "Coming, father." He responded, and with a polite nod to Devona turned about to return to the hall.

She followed the Prince back to the living area, and asked, "Do you think you can come again, Coran?"

Devona's mother recoiled in horror, partly due to the fact that Devona had referred to the young prince by name, and partly due to the idea of a member of the royal family intermingling in such a fashion with them.

"Devona!" She hissed in chiding, then said to the King, "I am deeply sorry, your highness… my daughter can be… inappropriate at times."

Far from insulted, the monarch instead seemed amused. "Aren't they all at that age?" He kneeled down to Devona, and said, "So, you are Julian's little girl, I assume?"

Devona nodded, finding herself somewhat awestruck by the invisible aura of confidence and charisma that seemed to surround the King of Ascalon, and unable to speak. Adelbern stood once again, and with a thoughtful smile, said, "I think I can certainly arrange for my son to visit another time… at a much more suitable time of day, of course. That is, if your mother has no complaints…"

"No! Never!" Devona's mother replied, flabbergasted. "The prince is always welcome!"

The King nodded, and declared. "It's settled then. Perhaps getting out of the palace some might do you some good, Coran. You withdraw yourself far too much."

The young prince allowed himself to give Devona a somewhat secretive smile before he took step behind his father, and left her homestead…

Devona jerked awake, clutching her blankets to her chest. That was a peculiar dream, to be sure… although she was curious why such memories had come to her in her slumbering hours.

Mhenlo had commented that sometimes the gods would speak to him through dreams, but they were usually vague and needed a good deal of interpretation. Could some higher power be trying to send her a message?

Looking out the window of her bedchambers, she noted that the lands were skill enveloped by the depth of night, and that for all rights, she should be sleeping still. Taking a couple deep breaths, she slowly let her body drift back into slumber, but not before making a mental note to entertain some preliminary queries come the next morning.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

By the time Devona had finished her preliminary work, it was near midday, but she finally felt comfortable enough to approach Duke Barradin with her thoughts. However, by the time she allowed to enter his temporary residence near the mostly ruined Royal Palace, it appeared he had other company.

"Barradin, I do not understand your hesitation." Lord Darrin said demandingly. "Ascalon needs a king, and you are the next in line!"

"Ascalon needs to put itself back together before it should worry about any official coronation." Duke Barradin responded tersely. "The people need to gather back their shattered homes and lives, mourn their fallen, and take stock of themselves before they need to worry about some elaborate crowning."

"And the best way to rebuild Ascalon is to reopen trade and negotiate contracts!" Darrin continued, "Which can only be done by the King!"

"Trade will reopen when we have something worth trading!" Barradin responded angrily. "That will require the walls of Rin being raised again, the homesteads put back in order, the fields reseeded, new feed animals raised, the smithies restored, the mines reworked, all of which will then prompt the coronation of a King, and then the opening of those trade routes you've been coveting since the cessation of the Guild Wars!"

"Barradin, we have had many deals in the past. You know that I am knowledged in how to raise fallen lands and hard times. Please, consider my advisement."

"I have, and I disagree." Barradin answered. "And that is all I have to say on the matter."

Devona sensed this would be the best time to interrupt. "Duke Barradin? May I speak with you?"

"Of course, Devona." The powerfully built duke said, waving her inside with a friendly gesture. "What is on your mind?"

"Have you heard any word about Prince Coran?"

Barradin's eyebrows furrowed, and he mused, "King Adelbern's youngest? No… I haven't heard word of him for about five years now. Wasn't he sent off for further training in service of Dwayna?"

"Tranquility Temple." Devona confirmed. "Far too the southeast, near the South Barrier Mountains. I think it's far enough out of the way that it might have been spared by the Charr, if they even know it exists."

"Are you suggesting Prince Coran is still alive?" Lord Darrin interjected.

"I honestly don't know. It's not like we've had the resources to send messages out that far, and with the increased Charr activity from the invasion, they wouldn't be able to make contact either... assuming the Temple is still standing."

"Don't you think that if the Prince were still alive, he would have returned to Ascalon by now?"

"Not necessarily." Duke Barradin answered, his right hand rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "After the Searing, the High Priest of Tranquility Temple would likely do everything he could to keep Prince Coran as far from danger as possible… including not sending any messages that would lead the Charr to them."

"Barradin, you're not believing this half-baked theory, are you?"

"I'm not entirely believing it myself, my lord." Devona said politely. "It merely occurred to me that there's a possibility that Prince Coran might still be alive, and if so, I think it would be important for him to be returned to Ascalon."

"A possibility?" Lord Darrin spat. "You're wasting our time on a possibility?"

"A possibility is more than enough for me." Barradin retorted, "If the Prince is still in the land of the living, the throne of Ascalon is his by right. I shall send out some of my men out to Tranquility Temple immediately."

Lord Darrin rolled his eyes. "You just told me that we are strapped to find men to rebuild Rin and the Great Northern Wall. Now you want to send men out on what could be an exercise in futility?"

Devona interjected. "He's right, my lord. I'll go, by myself. It was my idea after all."

"Are you sure about that? While the Charr have been stalled, war bands still occasionally prowl about Ascalon. It could be quite perilous."

"I'll take that chance, with your blessing, of course."

Barradin nodded, "Granted. May Dwayna and the old gods smile upon you."

Devona bowed respectfully, and prepared to make her leave, when the Duke's call gave her pause. Barradin gave one final order as he said, "Either return with a living prince in tow, or with proof of his death. I don't want any question marks either way, understand?"

"Understood." Devona affirmed, before excusing herself from the two nobles.

Lord Darrin turned on the Duke accusingly, and said, "Do you see what is going on here?"

"Of course. Devona is going to investigate to see if the last possible survivor of Doric's line is still in the land of the living. Maybe it was a good idea to hold on my coronation, no?"

"Oh come off it, you know exactly _why_ she has taken on this search."

Duke Barradin backed the smaller Lord Darrin into a corner, and growled, "If Prince Coran lives; the crown is his by his birthright, regardless of the reasons of those that search for him. As for her reasons, I will trust the departed King's judgment… you dishonor Adelbern's name with these near slanderous accusations, and I will _not_ stand for it."

"Of course… Barradin. I meant no insult."

"Good. I suspect our conversation is done here anyway. Now get out of my sight." Duke Barradin didn't even wait to see if Lord Darrin obeyed, turning about in a flourish, and disappearing into his private study.

Through her experience, Devona had trudged through the most inhospitable territory on all of Tyria, from the bone chilling cold of the Shiverpeaks, to the perilous wildlife of the Maguuma Jungle, or the parched dead surface of the Crystal Desert, and the searing air and molten landscape of the Ring of Fire.

She had also faced off against an army of undead, spectral beasts of near god-like power, and a lich with an army of fiery horrors from the beginning of the world's time.

In comparison, a cross-Ascalon trip with a few measly Charr in the way would be like a walk through Rin's arboretum.

Too bad others didn't see it that way.

At the door of her old homestead, battered, yet mostly intact, Devona was met by a certain Ranger who always seemed to know precisely when he most needed, or the least wanted.

"I hear you're going on a bit of a trip." Aidan commented as Devona shoved past him somewhat forcefully.

"Since you no doubt eavesdropped on the entire conversation, what is the point of being coy?" Devona grumped sourly.

"The roads and lands to the south have been ripped and ravaged by the Charr. You'll need someone with you who can find the easiest goings along the new landscape." The ranger replied calmly.

"I told Duke Barradin I was going alone. I doubt he'd appreciate seeing me leave with others who are needed here."

Aiden snorted disdainfully. "I'm a ranger. What can I do in rebuilding a city? I'm not even particularly strong enough for menial labor. What I _can_ do is scout and navigate… thus it seems pretty clear to me where I'd be most useful."

Devona was about to assert that his company was not an option when a knock at her open door got her attention. Cynn strode through without permission, almost as if she owned the place, and said, "So, what this I hear you're going out to find a lost prince?"

Devona boggled. "I just got back from meeting with Duke Barradin about that. How in the Underworld did you find out already?"

"Mhenlo spoke with me after you were done grilling him this morning." Cynn replied with a flip of her wrist. "We both figured out pretty quickly what you were planning to do. So when are we going?"

"I've just been explaining to Aidan here how there is no _we_. I told Duke Barradin I was going _alone_." Devona said forcefully through clenched teeth.

"Well, I am afraid that just isn't going to happen." Another voice interrupted, this one belonging to the monk Mhenlo. "The High Priest of Ascalon, upon learning of your various questions decided that if you would allow it, to send me along with you to examine the state of Tranquility Temple itself. Besides, you need someone who knows where it is… it can be rather hard to find."

"Alright, fine. Then you may come along, but the others… out!" Devona ordered, pointing to the door.

"I'm afraid that I don't have the same confidence in my abilities to travel as you clearly do yours. Thus, I recruited them to assist me in this trip... I trust that doesn't alter our plans?"

Devona felt like she had just been outflanked on the battlefield. And when outflanked as badly as she was, there was only one option… surrender. "All right… I just hope Duke Barradin doesn't have my head for this…"

She was rather irked that she'd have people tagging along on this search, but as she thought about it, acknowledged her old adventuring party would be useful. They were all capable people of their respective disciplines… always a benefit whenever one travels anywhere.

Then why did she feel so put out by it? Not even Devona was terribly certain…


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

The Charr war band never saw it coming.

Well, at least one of them didn't… the top of its skull caved in with a near sadistic chop of Devona's hammer. The beast's head then exploded like a ripe melon, splattering pieces of bone and brain matter like gruesome shrapnel.

Of course, that got the rest of the patrol's attention… not that it mattered.

The Overseer in charge of the group was felled before it could even cast its first healing spell, partially by Cynn's Meteor spell, and a precise shot from Aidan's bow that pierced the monster right in the left side of the temple like its skull was made of softened butter.

By then, Devona had turned her attention to another Charr Warrior charging towards her with an axe caked with dried blood and pockmarked from hundreds of blows without repair. With a devious smile, she actually let the blow strike her in the shoulder, bouncing harmlessly off her hardened mail, reinforced by the hands of many skilled dwarven craftsmen. The force of the blow stung momentarily through her arm, but her point was made.

The Axe Warrior staggered backward two steps, its normally glowering eyes uncertain and fearful. Devona supposed she shouldn't take as much pleasure in this as she was… but the satisfying crunch of bone as her hammer head met with the Charr's chest and its lifeless flight of roughly fifteen feet before it met limply with the ground really felt good.

She then turned her attention to the remaining Charr Stalker, but by the time she had focused in on the creature, it was already a charred, arrow filled mess. Her three companions seemed to have the same detached disbelief as her. Had it really been that easy?

Mhenlo shrugged, and said, "Next time we see a Charr patrol, let me know so I can get a few moments of rest. It doesn't seem like you'd need me anyway."

Cynn crowed, "I could wander about here alone. Guess after fighting the Mursaat and the Titans, a few Charr is like child's play."

"It is to be expected, I suppose. Our trials and travels would have made us far more prepared and used to conflicts than simply remaining in Ascalon." Aidan agreed.

Devona however, seemed less excited by the ease in which their foes were overcome. "Mhenlo… you said Tranquility Temple is close, correct?"

The monk's cheer dampened instantly, understanding what bothered the warrior. "Yes… the top of this rise is actually a cliff face… with a small path winding down into the ravine… right to the front gates of the Temple."

"So, there's no way the Charr haven't found it." Devona commented glumly.

"It would be clearly visible from the top of the cliff. If the Charr are patrolling here… I can't imagine how they would have missed it."

"So… that's that?" Cynn asked glumly. She had rather been enjoying the time away from rebuilding Rin.

"No… Barradin's orders to me were clear." Devona answered, her voice solemn. "To bring back a living prince, or proof of his death." Her piece said; she took the first slow steps to the top of the cliff face.

The eastern entry of Tranquility Temple actually didn't look quite as bad up close as it did from the top of the ravine. The primary wall was largely intact up to the second story, even though from their angle, they couldn't see the largely burned down roof and charred interior.

The double oak doors had been blown away, likely from the initial assault, picked at and burned skeletons flanking both sides. It had been some time since the desecration of the temple, as the stench of decay had faded away with time and the open air.

Rooms further inside the temple yielded similar images, bodies and items broken and worn from the test of time. It was unlikely anyone had survived long enough for a second assault.

"So, how are we supposed to find evidence of anyone in this mess?" Cynn complained. Returing to the capital of Ascalon had become much more appealing.

At this point, Mhenlo had taken over. "There will be evidence linking Coran to this site. Devona and I will head to the sublevel, where the monks quarters were. Aidan, Cynn, examine what remains of the second story. The priory and the work area of the High Priest would be there. See if the Temple Log still remains. Depending on how long the Temple held, there might be information as to the fate of Prince Coran."

Cynn blinked twice. "You want me…"

"To go with Aidan to the second floor." Mhenlo repeated. "Now don't dally. We have much work yet to do."

Cynn huffed, and turned about indignantly before following the bemused Ranger towards the heavily damaged spiral staircase leading up to their destination. Mhenlo pointed towards the south side of the temple, and said to Devona, "If I understand the layout of the temple correctly, we need to go this way."

They found the stairwell to the sublevel, fortunately somewhat lit by a humongous hole in the ceiling about twenty feet down.

"Okay… clearly you want to talk to me about something." Devona noted as Mhenlo examined every room from the hall.

"Am I that transparent?" The monk wondered out loud. "But yes… I became somewhat curious about something when you started asking me about the Prince before you were ordered to find him, but we haven't had the privacy to really discuss it."

"What?" Devona asked simply.

Mhenlo picked up a nameplate from where it had fallen off the wall, and said, "You wouldn't have happened to _know_ the fair Prince Coran, would you?"

Devona jerked with a start, and asked as nonchalantly as she could, "Why… would you think that?"

"For two years before the Prince was sent here, I had the pleasure of being his chamber mate in Ashford Abbey. He was my elder guide during my first years of adolescent training." The monk explained. "Well, as is normal for two people who share chambers, we came to learn a lot about the other."

"Oh… you did?"

"Quite." At this point, Mhenlo's voice became almost teasing. "He spoke rather frequently of a young lady that he knew well in Rin, often boasting she was the strongest woman in Ascalon. Never mentioned her name, but the more I came to think about it… he wouldn't happen to have been referring to you?"

Devona sighed. There was no sense lying, especially since Mhenlo likely already knew the answer. "He probably was." She admitted.

"So that would make you…"

Devona held up a warning hand. "Don't even start. That was a long time ago. And don't discuss it with anyone else… understand?"

"Of course." The monk answered, moving to the end of the hall. "I meant not to accuse you of anything…" He then stopped, his brow furrowed in confusion as he noted there were no more rooms. "Now that's curious."

"What?"

"I have examined all of the rooms… but the Prince's seems to be unaccounted for. Had he held chambers here… he would have had a nameplate corresponding to the room."

"Maybe he had special housing elsewhere." Devona offered with a shrug.

"Perhaps so… but he rejected such special accommodation at Ashford. I can't imagine he would have suddenly changed his mind on that principle."

"Devona! Mhenlo!" Cynn's voice shouted from the staircase, and the elementalist bounded down with a thick hide bound book in her hand. "I found the Temple Log. It was hidden underneath some floorboards in a metal box."

"To keep it from being burned." Devona noted.

Cynn didn't even register that Devona had spoken. "Well, I took the liberty of looking through it…"

Mhenlo recoiled in horror. "The Temple Log carries confidential information pertaining to the faith of Dwayna! None not of her order is even permitted to see it, and even I need special permission to read what is inside!"

Cynn waved him off with a dismissive flip of her wrist. "Whatever. Anyway, I found something that you might find interesting. Turns out, our highness spent all of two days here in Tranquility Temple."

"Two days?" Devona queried. "That's impossible. Where would he have gone for nearly 5 years?"

"According to the High Priest's entry, he was then sent to a place called The Forgotten Academy."

Devona turned, and asked of the monk, "Mhenlo?"

On his end, he looked baffled, with wide eyes, and said. "I… have never heard of such a place. Does the Log mention where this Academy is?"

Cynn shook her head. "I was hoping you knew."

For a moment, Devona feared they had struck a dead end, when Aidan made his presence known. "Friends… I wish to show you something."

That "something" turned out to be outside the temple, along the north side of the ravine. The top of the cliff had collapsed, forming a small rockslide onto the bottom. Aiden ran his hand along the crumbled and weather-beaten stones, and said, "From my position on the second floor, I noticed what I thought to be cleaves in the cliff face, and judging from the even collapse of the cliff, I feel safe to assume this rockslide was intentional."

"Intentional?" Devona queried. "You mean someone made this collapse happen?"

"It appears so." Aidan replied. "The way the rocks fell was too even. Whoever did this indented the cliff face so that the slide would follow right to this spot. While I can't say accurately, I would guess judging from the relative lack of erosion that this rockslide occurred rather recently, anywhere within the last few years."

"You think the monks of Tranquility Temple caused this?" Mhenlo asked.

"My suspicion is that there was something on the other side that Dwayna's faithful did not want the Charr to find."

Devona cracked her knuckles, a grim determination setting in. "Well then, let's see what our fellow Ascalonians desired to keep so secret."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"You can't be serious." Cynn deadpanned.

"I am as serious as the Searing." Devona retorted. "Get over here and help us clear the blockage."

"And… what… exactly makes you think I would, or even could, be of assistance?" The elementalist answered crossly. "If I wanted to schlep dirt around, I wouldn't have left Rin."

Every muscle in Devona's body tensed, and she straightened, turned about, and closed in on the prissy girl with deliberate strides, intentionally violating Cynn's personal space, and looking down with an intimidating gleam; helped by the fact that Devona was roughly half a head taller.

"And if you don't get over there and help, I am going to make you wish you never left Surmia." The warrior finally growled, having quite enough of Cynn's attitude for one day.

Cynn gulped, and not surprisingly found a growing urge to perform some manual labor. "You know… I think Mhenlo needs a hand over there…"

"Yes, I do believe he does."

Devona watched with a baleful eye as Cynn got to work… or as close as she got to work anyway. Rubbing her temple, Devona returned to her task, grasping one particularly large boulder from the pile with both arms, and with an angry growl, rolled it down the mass of stone.

"Would it be a hazard to my health to ask you what is on your mind?" Aidan asked softly.

"Yes." Devona answered dourly.

"Very well." He said simply, and returned to his tasks.

Devona liked Aidan… he knew how to keep his nose out of other people's business.

On the other side of the rockslide, Devona could hear Cynn and Mhenlo talking, despite Cynn's apparent attempt to remain discreet, but was doing her best to ignore it.

"Did one of the Charr we were fighting earlier crawl up Devona's ass without us noticing?"

"She was upset that you were not pulling your weight; both literally and figuratively." Mhenlo replied calmly.

"Well, yeah…" Cynn admitted, "…but she never got that mean about it in the past. She's been rather sour since we left Rin. Do you think it has something to do with the mission?"

"I suspect it does. I get the impression that Duke Barradin put a lot of pressure on her."

"Nah, we've all been under even more pressure before. It's like this is personal, or something. Did she tell you anything while you two were searching about?"

Devona was one fraction of a second from breaking up the chit chat when Mhenlo defused the situation. "I'm afraid not. I fear I did most of the talking. She was very much focused on the business of finding our wayward Prince."

"Would it hurt for her to tell us what's on her mind every now and again… ah Grenth take it!" Cynn suddenly yelped, and jerked her hand away, sucking on a finger that she scraped between two rocks. "That's it!" She screamed, "Everyone get back!"

The three other adventurers complied… not necessarily out of any respect for Cynn's order, but from fear of whatever her mind was concocting. A burst of magical energy evaporated off her body, and nary a blink of an eye later, the loose rocks burst upward with a violent explosion.

Mhenlo hastily constructed a protective shell around them, but it turned out that Cynn had properly angled the blast in order to send the flying boulders harmlessly towards the western wall of the ravine. She glared accusingly at the monk, indignant that he thought her so reckless.

"My, Cynn… do you think you could be just a little less subtle? I don't think every Charr within twenty miles heard that." Mhenlo quipped once the land had settled once more.

"Then we'll send them to the Rift like all the others we've come across." Cynn shrugged. "But you've all got what you wanted. The rockslide is cleared."

There was little doubting that point… as the boulders had indeed been cleared, leaving a clearly man made opening about 10 feet high, its potential depth quickly shrouded by darkness.

Aidan noted torn pieces of metal along the rim of the neatly carved stone, and guessed they were likely hinges for what was once a door. "That's some awfully fancy trimmings for just any old cave, don't you think?"

"How much do you want to bet a clue to the Forgotten Academy lies within?" Devona asked.

"That would depend. Am I betting for?" Mhenlo offered.

Devona prowled the immediate area, and gathered several large, dry branches from nearby trees. She held one such stick up in the air, and asked, "Cynn, may I get a light?"

Wordlessly, the top of the branch burst into flame, and the warrior fearlessly took the lead towards the entrance to the tunnel. "Let's move. Time may not be our enemy right now, but it's rarely our friend."

"Are we there yet?" Cynn droned playfully, not out of any real boredom, but because she knew it would drive Devona crazy.

Through the light of the makeshift torch in the warrior's hand, Cynn could see it had the desired effect. Devona cringed, and she abruptly stopped in her tracks. "Cynn, I swear… if you say that one more time…"

Devona never got the chance to finish describing whatever foul torment was in her mind. An unseen force collided with her, knocking the torch out of her hand, and completely bowling over Mhenlo. Aiden spun aside in the little space he had, but by the time he had brought his bow to bear, it was out of sight.

A damp chill then hovered in the air, and as Devona gathered up the torch once again, heard the slight, ghostly sounds of other creatures approaching. A near wall of astral shadow creatures were bolting down the tunnel at an alarming rate of speed, and Devona took the Rinblade from her back with her free hand, prepared to meet the coming swarm.

But the shadows didn't seem to be interested in a fight. They actually didn't even pay any attention to the four humans as they blew by, seemingly in a great hurry to get to wherever they were going.

"I'd love to be able to say they were running from us… but I don't think any of us would buy that explanation." Cynn said.

"Which brings up the natural question of just what they really were running from?" Mhenlo added.

Of course, asking that sort of question will often yield an answer in the most unpleasant way. An abrupt, reverberating thud prompted the tunnel to tremble violently, followed by another that collapsed a sizable portion of the floor in front of them, or in Devona's case, right underneath her.

Aiden's quick reflexes kept her from falling to unknown depths, and with Mhenlo's help, she was pulled to relative safety. Devona clambered to her feet, and said, "Get ready."

"Why?" Cynn asked.

"I saw… something… down there as I fell. I don't think it was friendly or happy."

The six finger, mottled gray hand that grasped at the edge of the hole somewhat affirmed Devona's statement. The edge crumbled, and for a moment the massive paw disappeared, only to emerge again and find a sturdier hold. Its twin joined the first… then a third and a fourth. Finally having a firm hold, the creature pulled itself up into the tunnel.

On first appraisal, the thing was huge. It had to hunch over to fit into the tunnel, and the top of the tunnel was at least fifteen feet high. It smelled of fresh kills, and the smears of what appeared to be blood along its grotesque, misshapen claws only reinforced those initial senses.

Its face was a flaming skull, it's black, dragon-like wings were laced with bright red veins that glowed as if pumping molten lava. It wore a breast plate and leggings as black as night, with blood red runes occasionally glowing on the surface of the armoring.

A scream caused Devona to turn slightly to try and boost Cynn's morale, only to note that the elementalist was looking with disturbed fascination towards Mhenlo, who had apparently been the one to make that eerily feminine noise.

"That's… a Lieutenant of Grenth!" The monk yelped, pointing fearfully at the hideous, titanic monstrosity taking slow deliberate steps as the four adventurers steadily strode backwards.

The creature howled, a hideous sound that carried all the maliciousness and bloodthirsty fervor of the Underworld's unholy choir. It then lunged forward, and fortunately its size in relation to the size of the tunnel slowed its efforts somewhat, for its attack was hindered, its movements forced.

Even with that handicap, it still struck faster than a trained Tengu Brave. Two talons scraped across Devona's mail as she sidestepped, and she could see the normally sturdy dwarven craftsmanship literally melt under some sort of acidic touch. That same arm was then struck with two simultaneous flaming arrows, which might as well have been feather strokes from the lack of any response from the creature.

It finally met resistance when it struck Mhenlo's protective barrier, brilliant white sparks streaking off from the contact, illuminating the tunnel in a way that momentarily startled everyone inside.

Cynn recovered the quickest, quickly casting one of her rarely used water skills, a chilling burst of ice that momentarily caused the Lieutenant of Grenth to rear backwards, not necessarily out of injury, but more along the lines of surprise. This sort of resistance didn't seem to be what it was expecting.

Devona took that opening to deliver a sound statement of her own, her Rinblade crackling with furious energy as she struck. The creature reacted quickly, but not fast enough to keep the small finger on its lowest right hand from being chopped off neatly by Devona's strike.

At this point, the abysmal fiend decided retreat was the better part of valor. Devona had no doubt the creature was likely frighteningly intelligent, and was likely pulling back to rethink its strategy for a force it hadn't been prepared for. It jumped back down the hole that it made, and Cynn rushed up to the edge.

"Come on! We got that thing on the run!" She encouraged, trying to peer down into the black depths for any sign of how far of a drop it was.

"Cynn… I suspect we may have other problems." Aidan said slowly.

"Like what?" The elementalist asked, then looked up to see the other side of the collapsed floor filling with pairs of gleaming golden eyes. She backed up, and turned about, only to see that the other end of the tunnel was closed off as well by a small legion of slowly advancing cat-like creatures wielding weapons like spears and bows at the ready as they made their cautious advance…


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

They weren't _exactly_ prisoners, but that really was more splitting hairs than anything else.

True, any one of the four could walk right out of the door and into the hall of this large central palace, out the front gate, through the smoothed "streets" of the underground city carved into a massive large cavern, and back into the narrow tunnels running through the Southern Barrier Mountains.

Convincing the roughly one thousand armed cat-people patrolling the city and the halls that any one of the four should be allowed to do so was the dicey part.

"Alright, so fill us in." Cynn demanded on Mhenlo. "What's the deal with this Lieutenant of Grenth?"

Devona's ears perked at mention of the name. She had to admit she was immensely curious herself, an interest that even caught Aiden's explicit attention.

"I had always figured it was some horror story told to scare young initiates, but this is the story as I understand it." Mhenlo began. "When Tyria was still in its infancy, and the gods still freely roamed the land, Grenth created six lieutenants to carry out his will. Some stories claim that he fashioned these creatures from the corpses of hundreds of sacrifices… while some claim that they were made from pieces of his own body."

He took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts while pacing his voice. "These monsters were supposedly granted powers over death and decay only surpassed by Grenth himself, and sent them to… cleanse the world and maintain balance. I would assume that to mean that if one race became superior to the others, the lieutenants would… well, I'm sure you can guess."

"Anyway, when the gods left Tyria, most assumed that if these lieutenants existed, they left with Grenth to the lowest depths of the Underworld. But a few storytellers liked to add that it's possible the lieutenants resided still on this land, resting and waiting for word from their dark god to return balance to Tyria."

"So, how do you know that what we faced was one of them?" Devona asked.

"Every story goes into vivid detail as to the visages of these fearsome beasts; faces of fire, with mystical armor carrying Grenth's mark, and skins of shadow, bearing the wings of a slain dragon baron. If that is not a Lieutenant of Grenth, then its something far too close for my tastes."

"Well, you are correct… I believe that is what your kind calls that monster." A lisping, labored voice said. From the now open doorway to their accommodations, a somewhat shriveled sample of the feline life forms had spoken, dressed in a ceremonial headdress that marked this being as likely of high stature. "We call it words that I'd rather not repeat in casual conversation."

"You speak our tongue, it appears." Aidan remarked. "That can't be very common."

"It is not." Was the reply. "It is why I was chosen to speak with you. I have studied all I can of the words of the world above, and have heard the words of many of your kind who have passed by, although not many have done so in recent time."

"Perhaps introductions are in order." Devona interrupted warily. "I am Devona, and this is Cynn, Mhenlo, and Aiden. We are from Ascalon, to the north of these mountains."

"For the ease of your mouths, you may call me Mer." The cat being said. "I am a senior mother of the pride. I apologize for our less than hospitable nature, but we are meant to roam free along the surface world, not huddled in fear in caves and forts, praying that today is not the day we are slaughtered."

"So the Lieutenant of Grenth was after you?" Mhenlo asked.

"No… not me. I have not left the fort." Mer replied in confusion, then corrected herself, "Oh, by me… you meant my kind. Yes. It was chasing some of my kin who thought they could sneak away to the upper world."

"Sneak through? Does that monster keep you from leaving?"

Mer sighed. "Since the beginning of Tyria, we were slaves in the service of a race of serpent creatures…" 

"Sounds like she is speaking of the Forgotten." Aidan commented to no one in particular.

"As the world was being formed, we became aware that we were intended to be nothing more. Finally, we revolted against our bondage. Their gods became angry, and hunted us like vermin, chasing us into these caves, then setting upon us that vile beast to imprison us here. We know not how long it has been since one of our kind has last seen the sky."

"I'll admit… we saw you four, and your power, power that we were never granted, and thought that perhaps you could do what we cannot; defeat that menace and finally free us."

Devona glared, and said almost coldly, "We are on a rather important mission… we cannot be distracted by anything."

Even Aidan was visibly taken aback by that very out of character remark. "What she means to say is that we are on a tight schedule, and even if we weren't, I'm not sure just what we'd be able to do. Holding off a powerful underling of one of the old gods is one thing… defeating it is quite another."

"I'm up to any challenge." Cynn volunteered. "Sounds like it would be fun."

Devona snorted, "You've always had a perverse idea of fun." With a sigh, the warrior relented, "We can see what can be done, that's all I can promise. But know this; I will not put myself or my companions in a fight we cannot win."

"I fear that now that you are down in the lower tunnels, the monster won't let you out, either." Mer stated simply. "It might be that your only chance to go wherever you are planning to go will be to fight."

Devona's eyes narrowed again. "If it comes to that, then we will seek to destroy the Lieutenant of Grenth. But only if it comes to that."

Mer's facial features twisted into something resembling a frown. "Very well… I suppose that is the best we can ask for. At any rate, we won't keep you any longer. I will make sure our defenders give you no more trouble. You are free to leave as you wish… but do be careful. Our kind has been nerved for so long I'm not sure we know how to be at ease."

The cat-woman left the room, and Devona waited several moment to make sure she was gone before speaking. "Something does not set well with me about this. Something isn't right."

Aidan smiled slightly. "You noticed, did you? Was it when we were taken down here against our will and now might just _have_ to overcome the _very same creature_ that has been brutally keeping them prisoner if we wish to return to our task?"

"Or when she gave us that sob story about being slaves to the Forgotten, and were just tragically mistreated to the point of revolting?" Cynn scoffed.

"All of that and more. Nonetheless, we might have to attempt to do what they require of us, regardless of their motivations." Devona said with fierce determination. "I am not going to fail in the mission set before me, and I don't care what is standing in my way; whether it is an army or Grenth himself."

"Okay, one more thing." Cynn said, "I know you're a really driven lady, but you are _really_ starting to creep me out. It's like finding the prince is some sort of personal crusade, and I want to know why."

"My reasons _are_ personal, and none of your business." Devona snapped angrily. "And I will not have anyone questioning me, or being a general annoyance, about them." She gave Mhenlo a warning glare, and said, "Do we understand each other?"

Cynn managed to squeak out a meek "yes", while the two men resorted to silent nods of agreement.

"Then since we all understand each other, let's see if this fort has supplies for our potential fight ahead." The warrior huffed, and took three purposeful strides to the doorway, not even bothering to look back.

Cynn was the next to move, grousing bitterly, "I'm not sure what would be worse, getting slaughtered by one of Grenth's spawn, or having to put up with Devona for much longer…"

At last, Aiden turned to Mhenlo, and said with wry humor, "Perhaps that was why Grenth's Lieutenant stopped short earlier. It realized we were going to kill each other in due time as it is."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Devona knew they were getting close to the Lieutenant of Grenth's lair… partially because their feline guides had abruptly turned tail… and partially because the first gruesome undead animates had just entered her vision further down the tunnel.

They weren't the animated remains of the cat people like some of the few who could communicate in upper-world tongue claimed, instead they were patchwork golems of likely whatever could be found, so that no one minion looked even remotely similar to another.

The foremost, for example, had one leg nearly a foot larger than the other, so it hobbled forward, slumping to compensate for the drastic length difference. Others had three or more arms; some only had half a head… quite a gruesome wall of undead flesh.

And judging from the incessant, if morbidly slow, progress they were making towards the four adventurers, one could correctly assume talk or any other form of casual negotiation wasn't on their mind… what little mind they had, at any rate.

Devona didn't feel the desire to wait for the undead to make the first move, charging forward, the muscles in her arms tightening in anticipation of her coming strike, a sidelong swipe that crunched the brittle shoulder of the closest bone minion, the momentum from impact following through and crushing another monster between the first and the tunnel wall, forcing the unnatural life from both.

Her attack momentarily left her defenses open, but Aidan had her covered, a smoldering arrow imbedding itself into the chest of a charging attacker, its dried flesh almost spontaneously bursting into flame. It staggered backward in recoil, fingers of fire jumping onto three nearby undead as its combusting kin passed.

The fire might have slowly spread down the line had said line not been completely turned into a billowing bonfire by Cynn's spell, sending jets of flame crashing into the tunnel ceiling, the fiery fingers dancing over their heads as it spread along the tunnel roof.

The stench of burning undead flesh caused Devona to stagger backwards, and that left her ill-prepared for the rush from the next line of undead that forced its way through the smoldering piles that formed in the wall of flames. Two creatures grappled the warrior at the waist, knocking her over, and then three more buried her in a mass of undead flesh.

She screamed in pain as one fanged maw bit into her cheek, warm blood rolling down into her ear, and inciting the pile into an even more frenzied mauling. Claws ripped at her armor, occasionally slipping through the sturdy protection and slicing into her arms and abdomen, while she thrashed violently to shake them off. Apparently more joined in, as the weight on her body drastically increased, momentarily rending Devona helpless against the assault. The stench from her adversaries was not making it easy to breathe, nor could she cough the putrid air from her lungs. Already the creeping blackness of fainting was nibbling at the edges of her vision…

Then as abruptly as the pressure increased, the inverse happened. The swarm was forced away with an unseen, holy hand, allowing Devona to stagger to her hands and knees. A pair of warm hands slipped under her shoulders, and Aidan assisted her to Mhenlo, who had healing prayers at the ready while Cynn held back the charge with repeated flares and balls of fire.

Finally, the warrior could clear her lungs, coughing violently as Mhenlo mended her external injuries. Once completed, she pushed away Aidan, who was trying to keep her seated, and climbed to her feet, just in time to nearly get bumped by a backing-up Cynn.

"These things are endless!" The elementalist growled. "Perhaps once you're done filling the holes in our fearless leader, someone could give me a hand?"

At that moment, one swifter specimen of the undead horde slipped under Cynn's burning barrage, swiping upward and catching the elementalist in the chest. Cynn's eyes bulged then rolled into the back of her head, her lifeless body falling over backwards. In response, Aidan fired two successive arrows that brought the beast down then Devona charged back into the fray as Mhenlo sent entreaties to Dwayna to bring life back to his fallen comrade.

Devona was not going to be taken off guard this time, even as the smell of burning undead was still heavy in the air, slashing through a countless stream of foes with her Rinblade until she gathered up the hammer she had dropped after initially being tackled.

Mhenlo meanwhile sighed in relief as he saw Cynn's chest suddenly burst upward in a deep inhaling breath. While Dwayna had never refused his pleas for aid before, he always harbored a small thread of worry that one day, his gods would spurn him, and those that he cared about would suffer because of it.

Cynn slowly rose; her lips turned downward in a mean scowl. "Took you long enough." She snapped at him, and with a sigh and a teasing smile added, "But I suppose I owe you thanks anyway. Now let's get these freaks, shall we?" The elementalist turned about and wasted no time gathering and releasing her power onto the river of undead still pressing forward.

Mhenlo half-grinned and shook his head. Some things never changed.

Then, for no reason any of the four could immediately discern, the tide of monsters stopped, turned, and fell back as fast as they could manage. The adventures were so baffled by the action that they didn't immediately press their apparent advantage. At best, the battle had been even… a full retreat made no sense to any of them.

Finally, a lone figure emerged from the darkness where the army had retreated, a Flesh Golem similar to the beasts the four had fought on Perdition Rock. It stopped just upon entering their vision, and beckoned with one misshapen hand before slowly turning about, and disappearing into the darkness down the tunnel once more.

"I think it wants us to follow." Aidan remarked, earning him a patronizing eye roll from Cynn.

"You think?" The elementalist drawled.

Devona gestured with a sweeping arm, and said, "Well, let's not keep it waiting then."

It remained just within sight as the tunnel turned downward deeper into the mountains, but whether that was because the golem was moving just slow enough to keep the creeping adventures close enough, or if the four were keeping as safe of distance as they could was anyone's guess.

The torch, that Cynn was now carrying, seemed to illuminate less of their surroundings the further they traveled, even though the flame was not even so much as flickering, and after roughly a mile, the walls of the tunnel began to expand, and the torch abruptly quit.

Before Cynn could attempt to reignite the wood, a circle of dim violet orbs burst to life with unnatural flame; casting their surroundings in an eerie, ghostly light. They were now in a neatly carved chamber, with sharp, well maintained corners and straight flat walls. Said walls were formed from carefully and meticulously measured brick, a stark contrast to the random, haphazard construction of the cat-people, or the random gouges of the caves and tunnels themselves.

Ten large statues made from what appeared to be granite flanked the west and east walls, large traditional semblances of the death god Grenth himself, five to each side. And in front of the south wall, a massive throne of solid stone was inhabited by the behemoth Lieutenant of Grenth himself.

"Stay your arms, Ascendants." The monstrosity said with a deep, yet subdued, gravely voice. "A fight need not occur today, especially since I suspect you have been grossly misled by the Mron."

"I would assume the Mron are the feline people we encountered before coming here?" Mhenlo asked.

"Indeed." Grenth's Lieutenant said. "They no doubt told you how they were oppressed and enslaved by the Sslethi people, who you have come to know as the Forgotten. How the gods chased them into these caves and set me upon them to butcher them to the last… just as they have told all the adventurers who stumbled upon them over the centuries."

"Actually, we found their tale somewhat suspicious." Devona said.

"Then you are smarter than the other would-be-heroes." The great undead lord said with what sounded like a sigh. "When the first races were born from the dust of the world, all the races were meant to balance each other. The Mron, however, sought to subvert that balance."

The Lieutenant of Grenth adjusted himself slightly in his throne, then said, "I won't bore you with the details of the Mron's treachery, but in short, they sought to trick the other races out of the magic gifts they had been bestowed with. In response, the gods stripped the Mron of their own blessings, and cast them into the bowels of these mountains, where I was set upon to keep them in their prison until the chosen time."

"The chosen time?" Aidan asked.

"You must know of the dragon prophet Glint, you would have met her shortly after your ascension if Glint's prophecies are true to form. She had many such prophecies like the one that entwined you, and one of them pertains to the Mron. When the Heir of Storms comes to claim them, then my task will be completed, and I may finally join my brethren in the deep chasms of the Underworld."

"But for thousands of years? Don't you think that's an awfully long time to punish an entire race of beings?" Mhenlo queried.

"I loathe being here nearly as much as they." was the curt rejoinder. "Nonetheless, my duty is clear, and until that duty is completed, I will not disobey the will of my master."

"While that is all well and good, and since you claim there is no need for a fight between us, then perhaps we can be on our way without further distraction?" Devona said, near grumpy. "We have to make all due haste to…"

"The Forgotten Academy. If I remember correctly, that is the name your people have given it in recent eras." Grenth's Lieutenant interrupted. "Of course I know that's what you're looking for. There's no other reason humans would willingly enter these mountains nowadays."

The undead lord raised its left hand, and with a flick of its wrist, a portion of the south wall folded in on itself to reveal yet another tunnel through the mountain above. "This passage will lead you out of the caves. The academy you seek will be four miles to the southeast, just on the edge of the Crystal Desert."

Devona again took the lead, not even extending partings as she strode past. She just wanted to get out of those damned tunnels and back on task as quickly as she could manage.

"One word of warning." The Lieutenant of Grenth said, "You will only find the Forgotten Academy if the people within wish for you to find it."

Devona huffed disdainfully at the undead behemoth's assertion, and never looked back as she escorted her party into the tunnel and towards the exit of the mountains.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Cynn burst out of the mountain burrow, threw her arms out, and declared, "Finally out of that dark, damp, smelly hole!"

Devona would normally chided Cynn for being so… expressive and irresponsibly flamboyant, had she had not been in a great deal of agreement herself. After the putrid environment under the Southern Barrier Mountains, the normally scouring sand and searing heat coming from the fringe of the Crystal Desert was actually refreshing.

Reality suggested that would change soon enough.

"In case you people have forgotten, the desert isn't exactly a relaxing getaway spot. Let's move." Devona ordered, her tone still reflecting generous amounts of annoyance and bitterness. "I'd rather we found this Forgotten Academy before we run out of water."

Nearly five hours later, said water was starting to dwindle, and they had certainly traveled the five miles in the direction indicated, and then some.

"What do you suppose Grenth's Lieutenant meant by that we'd only find the academy if the denizens wanted us to find it?" Aidan queried, even though his voice inflected that he already knew one possible answer.

"My suspicion is that it's hidden in a similar manner as Glint's lair." Devona replied. "Which means we could be standing right on top of it, and never know."

"Or it could have been lying to us to get us out of its hair." Cynn huffed dourly.

"Arghazaz was not lying, nor is my academy hidden in the way of Glint's infinitesimally small home, Ascendants." A serpentine voice suddenly declared from behind them. "However, I did want for you to be some distance away before I showed myself."

The four turned about swiftly, hands preparing for battle even as they knew deep down that had their visitor wanted a fight it would not have spoken. An aged, wrinkled Forgotten appeared in their vision, somewhat surprisingly unclad in anything that would distinguish it from any other of its long ancestral kind.

"I am Sslani, Headmaster of the Forgotten Academy that you seem to be seeking. I apologize for making you wander so far… but while I may be curious as to why those who were gazed upon by the gods would come searching for my school of learning, I am not going to reveal its location to any in the outside world… not just yet."

"How did you know we were looking for your academy?" Mhenlo queried. "And how did we not see your school?"

"As for the first, I have limited means of communicating with the outside world. One of those is Arghazaz, who you call Grenth's Lieutenant. He was the one who informed me that four Ascendants had passed." Sslani answered. "As for the latter, I divulge the secrets of science only to those who I have deemed worthy of what I can teach. While you were considered, my dear Mhenlo, I found one other more suitable."

"May I be so bold as to ask what the purpose of your Academy is?" Aidan queried, not out of any genuine curiosity on his part, but that he noticed Cynn was about ask a similar question, but likely in not nearly as polite of words, a guess that he figured was correct by the baleful glare she gave him.

Sslani regarded the question with silent thought then said, "I suppose it would not hurt. I find and recruit the finest minds in all of Tyria, and together we explore the fundamental laws of how the world works the way it does. From there, we explore how to make those laws benefit us. Once I deem they have learned what is needed, I return them back to the outside world, where in theory they use that knowledge for the advancement of their respective lands.

Mhenlo questioned, "How many do you teach at any given time?"

Sslani's mouth turned upward in what they assumed was a sly grin, "Curious as to how many were chosen ahead of you, young man? Let me assure you that you were among the final selections, and that I on very rare occasions take more than one student from each of the various races of Tyria at any given time. I was of a mind to bring you with the other student I chose from Ascalon, but it appears that I was right in not doing so. You have already fulfilled a great purpose from what I can discern."

"It is actually that other student that concerns us, honorable Sslani, and not your Academy." Devona interjected. "Am I correct in assuming that other student was Prince Coran of Ascalon?"

"You would be. Why is it you seek this young man? I'm afraid that since the fall of Tranquility Temple, my eyes into that human kingdom have been shut."

"His father and elder brother have both… moved on." Devona said, the memory of both King Adelbern and Prince Rurik, bloody and broken, momentarily causing her to choke up. We have come to return him to Rin so that he may take his rightful place upon its throne."

"I see…" Sslani commented, one scaly hand gently rubbing its scalp, as if deep in thought. "Well, I fear if you have come to bring back a prince, you have come a long way for nothing. I sent him back to his lands two years and seventeen days ago…"

"He would have gone back to Rin…" Aidan said, his shoulders slumping in defeat, "…and right into the waiting fury of the Charr…"

"So he is dead." Devona concluded, the energy in her body draining like she had been struck with a Necromancer's curse. She chided herself for taking the news so hard… after all, the chance had been slim at best. But deep down, she had clung to that slim chance, and now that it had been dashed, it struck hard.

Sslani's next words seemed amused. "For a group that had fought through what must have been great peril just to reach this point, you have all given up quite quickly. I merely said Coran is not here, but I do know where he is."

The ember of hope that had seemed dead suddenly burst back to life brighter than before. Where the hope had once been uncertain, it was now with the apparent fact that Coran was actually truly alive, and this Forgotten knew where. Devona lunged forward, shaking the frail-looking serpent creature almost violently, demanding, "How do you know this and where can he be found?"

Cynn's hand dropped on one of Devona's forearms, and the elementalist chided, "Devona, it's an old snake. Try and be gentle."

Sslani, after taking a few moments to regain its bearings, waved off any concern. "Oh no, my dear, I find such energy to be a pleasant change from the quiet study of my life." It paused momentarily, as if deciding how best to explain itself. "As for how I know, I maintain ties with all my former students, and I'll say no more on that. As for the where, his caravan did come under attack by the Charr, but he did survive. And his patron goddess must have been watching over him, because he did find sanctuary in the Hylan Colony."

Aidan blinked, "The Hylan Colony? That's impossible. It was ravaged by the Charr even before the Searing."

Once again, the humor returned to Sslani's voice. "Really? You saw the razed buildings and immolated bodies?"

The ranger gave pause, and said, "Well… no… but the colony was far to the north of the Great Northern Wall. It would have had to have been overrun by the Charr long before they reached Rin and Ascalon City."

"Often assumptions are needed in order to proceed forward down the path of learning." The Forgotten answered. "Nonetheless, one must need to be prepared with the understanding that assumptions are often privy to adjustment. I often have to explain that to my students."

For the first time that any of them could recall, Aidan looked visibly perplexed.

"In other words, you are wrong." Sslani added. "The Hylan Colony still stands. It has resisted the surge of the Charr, albeit barely, thanks in part to my student… your prince. If you make haste, you should arrive before things become deathly dire."

"What do you mean?" Devona asked.

"He has reported that the Charr have slowly been turning more attention to the colony. While to this point, the colonists have been able to convince the Charr that destroying the colony would not be worth the numbers they would lose, he fears that dissuasion is losing its hold."

"When Ascalon stalled the Charr advance… it likely would have turned their attention towards other targets." Devona mused. "Nonetheless, there is a problem. The Mron prowl the tunnels through the mountains, and I fear we may have angered them."

Sslani nodded, "Yes… that is true. Arghazaz mentioned that those over-punished, yet treacherous beasts had sent you to kill him. They would not take your re-entry kindly. Which means you would have to go over the mountains… and that would take time you do not have… unless…"

Sslani swiftly slithered past them, and then abruptly stopped, motioning towards them with a broad sweeping motion. "Follow, and quickly… for if this does not work, you will not have time to spare."

Even for an old serpent, Sslani moved quite fast, and Devona found herself having to sprint several times to keep pace. By the time the aged Forgotten finally stopped, Devona was out of breath, and several minutes ahead of her companions, who eventually caught up.

Meanwhile, Sslani was clearing away dust and sand from a distressingly unused teleporter pad similar to those they had encountered quite frequently further into the desert. "You were not the first to desire a quicker and easier way past these mountains without going through the tunnel, and thus this teleporter was built. It was thusly abandoned as my people retreated into isolation, but with any luck, the pad on the other side will still be operational."

The Forgotten slithered onto the pad, looked back at the switches to identify the combination, then hissed in annoyance as none of the switches lit, then slapped itself on the forehead. "Of course… my people would have disabled the power flow through the conduit…" It muttered, and then said reassuringly to his human guests, "Fret not, I just need to reattach the energy couplings and prime the battery pack. They both should still be good. The tritium fuel inside the pack shouldn't decompose completely for another thousand years or so."

"Ooookay… anyone understand that?" Cynn quipped.

Sslani gripped hold of a panel on the side of the eastern prong hovering over the teleporter, and with a grunt, pulled it free. The fingers of his scaled hands dove inside with various clinking and clacking sounds, tinkering with whatever he was peering at. Then there was a loud whirring noise, then a grating sound before silence. "Ah ha!" The Forgotten declared, slipping back onto the pad and chirping happily as the switch sequence began to flash. "Now to see if the conduit is still stable."

It brushed past Cynn with total disregard, and tapped on each switch, quite pleased with himself as the warp energies flashed to life in a series of pale blue circles.

"Now, go!" Sslani ordered. "You still have great distance ahead of you, and there is no telling when or if the Charr will start their attack."

"Thank you, great Sslani." Devona said after ordering the others through the teleporter.

"I am glad to be of assistance, Devona. Coran was one of my favorite pupils. I would like to see him live a full life."

The warrior's eyebrows arched. "You know my name?"

Once more, Sslani's voice sounded amused, "Coran described you in remarkable detail. There were times where I wondered if he could talk about anyone, or even anything, else. But as much as I would love to relive old memories, I strongly suggest you go. I must return to my other pupils, and would like to disable this teleporter again."

"Oh!" Devona yelped, suddenly aware of how long she had been lingering. "Farewell then."

Devona sprinted up to the pad, disappearing instantly once her body intersected the circles of energy…


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Cynn was not trained for long-distance, prolonged running. Devona must have known this, but that didn't stop her fearless leader from setting a pace that would have tested the stamina of the fittest athletes in all of Tyria.

"Okay… we have… to slow… down." Cynn panted between the protests of her lungs and legs.

Devona outright stopped, and whirled about accusingly as if the elementalist had just recommended mutiny. "We still have at least two days travel before we reach the Hylan Colony, and we have no reason to believe the Charr will wait even that long."

Aiden, while not nearly as winded as Cynn, had to agree with the blonde mage. "Devona, we have just passed the Wall. We won't do the colony any good if in our fatigue we are felled by Charr ourselves. I'd much rather we are at full strength before we press any further into completely un-patrolled territory."

Cynn griped further, "And if the situation is so dire, I still don't understand why we didn't gather reinforcements from Ascalon City."

Mhenlo was about to intercede to quell what he sensed was a coming conflict, but Devona had jumped in before Mhenlo could. "First, as you must already know, men cannot be spared manning the wall or repairing Ascalon. Second, bringing reinforcements would draw more attention than the four of us. Third, I didn't want to. Any more questions?"

"Yes. Why are you being such a secretive ?" The elementalist shouted back, "If you're going to drag me through Charr territory, I want to know why it's so damn personal for you!"

"I'm not dragging you anywhere!" Devona answered, uncharacteristically losing her cool. "If you're going to be a coward, why don't you just tuck your tail between your legs and run back home? I never asked you to come along anyway!"

"No, I did." Mhenlo finally interrupted, his voice so firm that it pervaded the argument despite its lack of volume. "Because I was worried about you exploring alone, a worry that I now know was validated. All three of us are here because through all that we have seen, we consider you our friend, no matter how we may act around you." Mhenlo gave Cynn a scathing glare at that before turning his attention back to the visibly flushed warrior. "Nonetheless, Cynn is right in this instance. Even your energy is not boundless, and I can't imagine getting into a shouting match will have rested you any. We have run hard with no pause save for sleep from the Southern Barrier Range to this point. May I also note that eating has not been on our itinerary either?"

Devona pursed her lips tightly, crossed her arms over her chest, and regarded Mhenlo darkly. She had to admit that she was hungry, and that her body likely didn't share the same sense of sacrifice as her mind. "Fine. We'll break to eat and rest our legs. No longer."

"Yes ma'am." Mhenlo answered with a smile, even as his heart started to slow with relief. Devona's natural tendency to keep to herself had clashed with Cynn's natural curiosity before, and the more secretive Devona became made Cynn all the more curious. Mhenlo hoped that once Prince Coran was located, the mystery would quickly dispel.

Perhaps he should tell Cynn the full story… maybe that would quash the clash of wills between the two ladies.

"Not a word." He heard Devona growl in his ear. The monk had been so lost in his thoughts that he never realized she had sat down next to him, and had begun almost violently chewing on the jerky in her belt pouch.

"Pardon?" Mhenlo said innocently.

"I know that look on your face. You were about to squeal to Cynn. I will not have it, else I will have your hide."

"If we find Coran, they are likely going to find out anyway, you know."

"When that happens, I'll deal with it then." Devona answered. "Not before."

"Very well. I just pray that this secret doesn't lead to any more spats."

Devona promised, "It won't… I'll kill her before then."

While Mhenlo was reasonably certain Devona wasn't actually going to kill Cynn for _any_ reason, the warrior had adequately managed to kill the conversation. Once her strip of dried beef had disappeared entirely into her stomach, she stood, and tapped her foot impatiently as her comrades finished their own vittles.

"I'd like to actually move from this spot before having to make camp for the night." She said. "Lunch is finished. Get up and move."

Cynn glared bitterly, but said nothing, nearly violently tying up her belt pouches, and brushing ineffectually at her skirt. The two men knew better than to even be _that_ bold, gathering their few loose belongings without so much as a word, jogging abruptly to catch up to their leader, who no longer showed any proclivity to wait.

"Grenth take it, wait for me!" Cynn exclaimed, dashing briefly to take up the rear.

The rest and meal had done the four well, as their pace was quickened even as they pressed as cautiously as safety could allow into Charr territory. Even Devona seemed pleased by their headway as the sun began to set and they began to set up camp.

Aidan had managed to scrounge together enough kindling and tinder to start a nice fire to stave off the night chill just as darkness set in completely, and the four began arrange the most comfortable places to set down while they negotiated the night watches.

But even before they could agree on the first watch, the telltale growl of approaching Charr ended all thoughts of a good night's sleep. Judging from the steadily growing din, somehow the four had drawn quite a bit of attention.

"Oh, relax…" Cynn chided as she noticed the uncertain faces of her friends. "Remember how easy we smacked around those Charr outside Tranquility Temple? How many more can there possibly be?"

At that point, she became aware of the tens of pairs of tiny red dots appearing on the edge of the campfire's illumination. Cynn personally stopped counting around thirty-three.

"Oh." The elementalist gulped. "That many."

She staggered back behind Devona, who charged to meet the first pair of canine-like beasts as they burst into the light, the warrior taking the first by surprise with her strength, knocking it completely over and cracking ribs as it toppled, the hammer not even stopped by its mass, arching through and connecting across the second Charr's elbow, causing the creature's hand to go numb and lose its grip on its axe. A second reversed swipe killed it, and the charge of the next three Charr trampled its fallen kinsman to death in their zeal to engage in battle themselves.

Cynn ignited a circle of fire to dissuade the rest of the clan of Charr from following all at once, and Aidan took the opportunity to barrage the now more clearly lit terrain with arrows, gaining the advantage of their adversaries momentarily being taken aback by Cynn's spell. But for every one that the adventurers felled, it seemed three more took their place.

Devona at the moment was holding her own, barely bothered by the steady stream of attacks, many of which slipped past her defenses, but she knew that eventually she, and her companions, would be overcome if by nothing other than sheer numbers. Devona cautiously fell back, ordering Aiden and Cynn to form a tight circle around Mhenlo, so that he could try and support their efforts as the Charr attack started to intensify.

An undetermined amount of time later, Cynn was coming to a conclusion. Perhaps it had merely been a trick of her eyes, but Cynn noticed that the Charr numbers were not as overwhelming as she had first assumed. Indeed, as she threw up a pair of fire walls to dissuade the enemy, she could tell that the seemingly dense ranks were in fact quite thin. There couldn't have been more than twenty more, warily turning about in confusion. Cynn then watched as there was a flash of metal, then one of them dropped like a stone, lifeless.

"Nice shot, Aiden!" Cynn shouted, impressed by what had must have been a very quick aim and fire from the ranger.

Aiden answered in confusion as he turned his head, "Whatever are you talking about?" Then he saw a very similar phenomenon repeated. With a warning tone, he said, "Devona… there's something else out there…"

"Thank you for the obvious, ranger." Devona testily snapped back. What in the name of Balthazar was going on out there? Another flash of steel, another dead Charr, but this time Devona was almost certain she saw a vague, slightly off-color outline of some sort of figure, but by the time she thought to examine more closely, it was gone, blending back in perfectly with the night on the edge of her vision.

"I'm not sure what is worse… fighting Charr we can see, or watching Charr die by something we can't." Mhenlo mused as two more of the steadily dwindling war clan fell. Finally, the last few that remained decided retreat was the better part of valor, but several squeals of surprise suggested that the unseen killers were not going to let retreat be an option.

One more, the surroundings grew silent, but it was a nervous silence as none of the four adventurers dared drop their guard… not they were terribly certain maintaining it would do much good.

Finally Mhenlo nearly screamed when he heard a scathing female voice whisper, "For the love of the Old Gods, put that damned fire out before you draw the attention of more of them."

For a long, pregnant moment, the three didn't comply, stunned by the seeming materialization of the figure that had appeared between them. It was a human female, clothed from toe to neck in an odd black fabric that once close to the fire seemed to shimmer something like silk, and what appeared to be a mask in her right hand made of the same material. She was quite petite; with a height shorter, and a build barely heavier, than Cynn's. The woman looked like she wouldn't even be able to deal significant harm to a farm animal, but the two triangular blades strapped to each of her wrists, dripping with Charr blood, indicated otherwise.

Further examination of their surroundings revealed that she was not alone either, as ten other figures of both genders and dressed in the same fashion formed a loose circle around the boundaries of the camp.

The woman's deep brown eyes narrowed into almond skin, and she said, "Am I going to have to do it myself?"

That stirred Devona and Aiden to action, the pair thoroughly stomping the small campfire to ashes. A dim, eerie, green glow soon replaced it; coming from a glowing cylindrical bauble on the back of the woman's left hand. 

Her mask was now on her head, leaving nothing but those accusing eyes as she said, "While I am infinitely curious as to why humans are so far from the wall in the depth of night, now is neither the time nor the place. If you wish to live to see the morning, you will follow me without delay."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

The procession moved with great speed and seeming disregard for whatever noise they made. Their leader had explained while she and the rest of her unit had means to hide themselves from the Charr, Devona and her companions did not, thus there was really no sense trying to be sneaky when they would surely be spotted.

Devona had tried to ask the woman how anyone could be seen on a moonless night such as the current one, but their escort had shrugged it off and said the answer was complicated, and that she wasn't even certain if she understood it herself.

"All I've been doing for the last week has been running it seems." Cynn grumped between heavy breaths.

"Then by all means make yourself useful and stop. Perhaps you'll be an easier target for any Charr prowling about." The shrouded leader retorted flatly.

Devona found herself starting to like this woman.

They had been forced to quickly dispatch of one small patrol just moments before sunrise, but with numbers on their side for once, it hadn't presented much of a threat beyond alerting other nearby foes.

The army gathered at the bottom of the basin they were perched on top of as daybreak finally came was entirely another matter.

"By the gods, there has to be close to five hundred Charr down there." Mhenlo whispered.

"Four hundred, eighty-six, at last count." The leader of their escort said. "Although I'll acknowledge the number has probably increased during the night. Is it too much to hope that you four are a signal of further numbers to come?"

"I'm afraid not. We have only learned recently that any humans had survived the Charr's advance on the northlands, and we did not waste time reporting this news in our haste to find your people."

"Are we correct to assume that you are survivors of the Hylan Colony?" Aidan queried.

"Survivors? Barely. It's only been through ingenuity that we've lasted this long. But these numbers will soon be far beyond what we can hope to stave." 

"So the reports we were told were not inaccurate." The ranger remarked grimly.

"Then what good did you mere few intend to have?"

"Our fearless leader went off on a crusade to find our missing Prince Coran." Cynn grumbled. "The trail has led us here."

For a brief moment, Devona noticed the eyes of their escort bulge, then dart back and forth among her kin warily. The other shrouded figures seemed amused, as if laughing at the absurdity of what Cynn had said.

"You speak nonsense." The woman said coldly. "How could a prince have survived such a travel without a god's luck?" In a whispered aside to Devona, she added, "I suggest you silence that loudmouthed caster of yours. The atmosphere towards the royalty of our native land is not… pleasant… among the survivors."

"But the snake said…" Cynn started.

"Stop your stories this instant, Cynn." Devona snapped. "If it weren't for your spells, I would have tossed you into the nearest tar pit."

Cynn opened her mouth, but for once, words betrayed her. An accusing finger shot up, pointing at Devona, then at their escort, then at Devona again, all the while her lower lip hanging so low it could have caught up a small animal.

"Well, as much as I am loving this exchange of invective, may I ask just how we plan on getting there…" Mhenlo asked, pointing towards the barricaded colony, "… through them?" He then finished, pointing towards the army of Charr.

"There are ways." Their escort said, gesturing to the east with her right arm. "Follow me, but quickly."

Devona took up a position right at the woman's heels, and said, "It occurred to me that I have never seen a fortified wall quite like that before. Where did you come up with that idea?" She was referring to the wooden trunks, sharpened at the end, and angled outwards at varying degrees.

The woman again darted her eyes to both sides before saying softly, "A… wanderer… came upon our barely surviving colony roughly two years ago. At the time, we were huddled in the cave structure behind us. He was the one who designed the fortifications the way they were. It dissuades wall climbers and various enemy charges."

Devona said nothing more, not wanting to force their escort into saying anything more than she meant to. Nonetheless, the warrior was now certain that their search was nearing an end. Despite the fact that returning to Ascalon would likely be even more perilous than the search, Devona was immensely relieved.

Five years… she wondered how Coran had changed. Then she shook the thoughts out of her head. There was far too much to worry about then the musings on an old friend.

The path seemed to reach a dead end at a towering cliff face, and a massive boulder at least thirty feet tall imbedded into the rock wall. Their escort approached the side of the boulder, and pressed her hand against the stone. After roughly five seconds of silence, there was a distinctive click, then the sound of grating rock as the boulder swiftly hinged open, revealing a smooth, polished back attached at the center by a series of thick iron chains and a thick, steel, telescoped pole.

The half boulder had clearly been covering up a tunnel roughly half its size, which their escort waved them into quickly. Once all members of the party had entered, they proceeded down the oddly lit tunnel as the cover snapped shut.

"What manner of torch are these?" Cynn asked, examining the glowing balls of glass providing surprisingly bright light into the tunnel. They certainly weren't burning like any candle or flame she had ever seen.

"You ask questions that are best answered by Charon. He is the wanderer that brought this and much other knowledge." Their escort answered.

"Charon?" Mhenlo asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, named after the boatman to the Underworld. When we found him, he was near death, and looked like the shriveled remains of a man left to die. Since he had somehow forgotten his own name, that one stuck."

Devona gulped. Had Coran somehow lost his memory during what must have been a perilous trek from the Forgotten Academy to the remains of the Hylan Colony? What would that mean if he had?

"Set your mind at ease." The shrouded woman whispered in her ear. "My father and your prince realized quickly it would be in his best interest to 'forget' where he had come from or who he was."

The tunnel wasn't terribly long, no more than a mile, before it turned abruptly northward, and into the open air once again, where a carved stone stairwell descended into a maelstrom of human activity.

"Men and ladies, welcome to the Hylan Colony…" Their escort said, before bitterly adding, "For however long it stands, at any rate." She then motioned to her company, and ordered, "Report to my father, and then inform Charon that we have unexpected visitors. He might wish to speak with them. Our guests will be in the meeting hall of the central square building."

With silent nods, the other black-clothed people parted ways, and that prompted their escort to pull off her hood, and motion for the four adventurers to again follow.

The central square building was a simple enough construct, having the appearance of a box made from earthen brick, and a slightly angled leather roof, likely to channel away any rain. Inside, it was much cleaner, with neatly trimmed and painted wood walls and finely shaped and carved doorways.

The woman turned suddenly right through one such door, into a large off-white painted room with a long, dark finished wood table and chair extending almost its entire length. Their escort ordered them into the chairs nearest the doorway, and said, "I will return shortly. Do not move. The people of the colony are understandably on edge, and might attack any strangers without thinking."

The woman disappeared out the doorway, leaving the four to themselves. Sensing this, Cynn immediately went on the attack like an angry bear, taking a seat next to Mhenlo, and across from Aidan and Cynn.

"How… dare you… you… you… treacherous little _whore_?" The elementalist raged, pointing violently at Devona. "This is your little obsession, and then you try and paint me as some lunatic!"

"I didn't have time to explain, but apparently the people of this colony are somewhat agitated by the royalty of Ascalon." Devona answered. "Our shrouded friend informed me it would be a good idea to not let on that one of said family was in their midst."

"It makes sense." Aidan answered. "No doubt the colony would have asked for aid, but due to its distance, King Adelbern would have had neither the time nor the means to lend any significant help. The colony would have felt betrayed by Ascalon."

"That would also explain our prince's sudden amnesia." Mhenlo said with a sigh of relief. "I must admit I was not looking forward to explaining to a young man here that he is actually of a king's blood, and needed most desperately by his kingdom."

They quickly went mum as they heard the sounds of movement from outside, and their escort once again entered the room, sitting down in a chair at the end of the table. "Now, you can answer the questions I have. How did you come to know that Prince Coran of Ascalon could be found here?"

Devona instinctively took charge of answering any and all queries. "A Forgotten One known as Sslani, headmaster of the Forgotten Academy, had informed us that he could be found here."

The woman turned her eyes to the doorway then asked, "Why are you searching for him? I find it odd that it would take so long to suddenly decide to find him."

"We have come to inform him that his father has died, and that he needs to return to Ascalon."

The woman shrugged, "For whatever reason? Does Coran not have an older brother who is already in line?"

Devona gulped, the memory of the Shiverpeaks burned into her brain. "Prince Rurik… was killed leading refugees from Rin over the mountains towards Kryta."

"And what of his sister? Even as a woman, she would have right to the throne before Coran."

"Princess Elana was killed in the initial charge of the Charr after the Searing. I'm surprised the prince wouldn't have known that."

"I didn't…" A gentle, sorrowed voice said from the hall outside the doorway. "Sslani's information of Ascalon was broken at best, and cut off at worst when the Charr overwhelmed Tranquility Temple."

"Coran… you should have let me finish my…" The black clothed woman said, swiftly standing and turning towards the hall.

"Yuu, that will be plenty." The voice answered, and a choked sob followed before he continued. "I suspect I already know one of your guests, and I see no reason to assume she is not speaking true."

With that, the owner of the voice entered the meeting hall. To Devona's surprise, he looked almost exactly as she had last remembered him… although the slight hints of time had begun to creep onto his smooth, almost polished face.

"I was going to have Yuu ask just what you had planned to do once you had found me, but it seems like an unnecessary question now." Prince Coran said glumly. "And while I wish we had met under better news, I am glad to see some familiar faces again."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Devona wasted no time jumping to her feet, nearly knocking over Aiden in her hurried rush to her old friend, throwing her arms around his neck fondly with what she hoped appeared to be a genial hug.

"Coran, I'm so relieved that you're still alive." She muttered, then said with more volume. "I would have looked for you sooner, honestly, but situation after situation emerged after the Searing. I must regretfully admit you had slipped my mind far too easily."

Coran peered over Devona's shoulder, noting Yuu's left eyebrow twitching in annoyance, and the somewhat curious expressions on the faces of her traveling companions. "Yes, well, we've all had much on our minds these last two odd years." The prince answered understandingly, "I can't say I had much opportunity to wonder how my dear Devona was faring. Fortunately, I can see that you have been well."

Pulling himself away, he extended a friendly arm to Mhenlo, who dutifully stood and grasped the forearm in welcome.

"It was a pleasant surprise to learn you were still among the living… and a great honor to see it for myself once again, your highness." The monk said lightly.

"Mhenlo, what did I say I was going to do if you called me 'your highness' one more time?" Coran answered with a sly grin.

"While I have no doubt some here would take great enjoyment in seeing me strung by my toes off the Ashford spire, we have more pressing business to attend to."

"Am I the only person here who doesn't know the prince personally?" Cynn quipped, rolling her eyes as if annoyed.

"I suspect not, my lady." Prince Coran replied. "So I suppose it would be prudent to have due introductions." Devona frowned disapprovingly at Coran's easy going smile as the prince added, "And since I am at the disadvantage here, I must ask who you are."

The elementalist stood gracefully, and made a sweeping curtsey that Devona knew must have been well practiced. "I am Cynn, of the Tania family of Surmia. Normally proper respect would demand a proper title, but since I have no desire to be strung to anything, I do hope that I am not overstepping my bounds by calling you by your given name in the future."

"Not at all, fair Cynn. In such a relatively personal setting, I find it quite welcome, in fact." Coran answered, but with a sardonic smile that belied just what he felt of the display. Devona felt reassured that he hadn't changed in that regard. One of the few ways he resembled his departed father.

"I am honored, dear Coran. I hope I will prove worthy of it."

Devona rolled her eyes and snorted. To Cynn's credit, she refused to be baited, determined not to shatter her ladylike demeanor so quickly upon meeting the prince in person. Devona was actually looking forward to the calm, mild-mannered Cynn for however long it took for the elementalist to feel comfortable enough to show her true colors.

"I'm sure you will." The prince said in temporary parting, turning to the final member of the group. His brows furrowed thoughtfully, and he said, "Something tells me we've met before, at least in passing… but for the life of me I can't think as to where…"

"My father did some personal scouting for your father before the Searing, and I frequently joined him on those forays. You wouldn't have even been in your teens at the time. That might have been where. At any rate, I am Aidan, a simple ranger of Ascalon." Aidan interjected, exchanging forearm grasps briefly. "I'm sure we'll have much more time to get to know each other, but as the monk has said, I am certain there is much to go over."

"Indeed." Coran agreed, then with a playful smile, said, "Should I introduce you, dear Yuu, or are you feeling particularly anti-social today?"

The black clothed woman grunted, and turned her chin up distastefully. "Do whatever you wish. Don't expect me to curtsey, however."

"And you all have already met Yuu. She is the daughter of Idori, the governor of this colony, if you will. You will not find a man or woman who knows the lay of the land better, nor will you easily find one more deadly with a piece of sharpened steel."

"Charmed." Was the woman's not so cheerful rejoinder, "Now, since you supposedly have business to discuss, why not get to it. Time might not be our ally."

"Quite right." Coran agreed. "Now, since it's quite clear why you are here, I'm going to make something quite clear myself. I am not leaving this place while the people of this colony are in harm's way."

Devona sighed, knowing this to be exactly like the Coran she knew. Honorable to a fault.

Coran seemed to sense this. "No, Devona, I'm not going to stand for a mindless, hopeless final stand and slaughter. We've been preparing to evacuate the colony, and make for Ascalon ourselves. The presence of you four makes it much more viable."

"Why's that?" Cynn queried.

"The land has changed since the Searing. Cliff faces have risen and fallen; rivers have been turned to tar and diverted on new courses. Lakes that were once there are no longer, and new lakes in different places have taken their place. We don't have much knowledge of this new landscape past roughly one day's travel. We would have been wandering near blind the rest of the way. And in Charr territory… that's not a good way to move."

Aidan nodded, "Of course. You know the path to where we were found, and we can take it from there. But even if we know the shortest path, which for your information, would likely be due south towards Fort Ranik, there are a lot of people here. Moving in such a large group would likely attract attention you don't want."

"Correct. We'll have to split up into many small groups, perhaps no more than eight per party. Yuu and Grazz will lead the way initially, placing markers for later groups to follow. You, Aidan, will lead the second group, and will assume the lead once we enter unfamiliar territory."

The next two hours were spent ironing out the particulars of their escape, until finally a detailed course of action was set, including what could be safely taken with the colonists, as well as to who of note would comprise each group.

"Well, with that finished, I suppose it would be a good idea for me to be brought to speed on the state of Ascalon." Coran said with a sigh. "With all of the immediate royal family assumed dead, I would suspect that Barradin is currently in charge… unless something happened to him?"

"No. Barradin is as well as if he had never been through the Searing." Devona said with a grin. "It's amazing what that man had managed to live through." She then noticed the prince shudder, ever so slightly. Had she not known him as she did, she likely would have missed it. "You don't like him, Coran?"

"That's… not it." Coran answered. "By all accounts and my own limited estimation of the man, he's honorable, loyal, and more intelligent than one would immediately assume… he's just a little overzealous at times. Like, for example, his repeated attempts to join every daughter he could with every son my father had. It worked well with Rurik and Althea, I suppose… but the thought of marrying Lady Gemma made my skin crawl."

"Why's that?" Cynn asked, her noble upbringing helping fuel her curiosity of the royal court. "One would think a reinforcing of that line would be a good thing."

"Well, firstly… she was meaning to be a necromancer. She used to send me gifts… attached to whatever twisted perversion of nature she could conjure. It was rather unnerving to have a bone horror hand me a note in the middle of a lesson, as you many imagine. Secondly… she wasn't exactly my type."

"What did your father have to say about that?"

"Well, after a couple months, I gathered the courage to tell my father about it, and he reminded Barradin that Barridan himself witnessed my betrothal to someone else, and that my father was still quite serious about it."

"You were engaged?" Cynn remarked with surprise, "I never knew anything about that."

"Well, let's be serious. I was rather insignificant on the royal scene at the time. I mean, the lords and high ranking officers knew about it, but it probably wasn't important enough to set off the gossip mill."

Had anyone been paying attention, they would have noticed Devona visibly stiffen and pale when Cynn asked, "So… who were you bonded to, if I may be so bold to ask?"

Coran's eyebrows rose and he turned to the warrior, who starting mouthing the word "no" to the prince repeatedly. With a sly grin, he asked, "You didn't tell them?"

Cynn turned on Devona, and snarled, "You know about this?"

By then, Coran had turned to Mhenlo, and quipped. "I'm amazed you didn't tell them. Back in our abbey days, you couldn't _stop_ talking about everyone and everything."

"You know too?" Cynn snapped, spinning about almost violently.

She then gave Aidan an evil eye, and the ranger sighed, "Oh, come off it, Cynn. How would I know if you don't?"

"So, is this a big secret, or can anyone be privy to information that half of those present already have knowledge of?" The elementalist demanded crossly. She so hated to be out of the loop…

Devona started shaking her head, as if begging Coran not to answer, but the prince smiled in amusement once again, and pointing to the young warrior said, "Well… her."

Devona's head thumped loudly on the tabletop. Even though she knew the issue would have to have been addressed at some point, it hadn't dulled the embarrassment of the disclosure in the slightest. She wanted to die… slowly, quickly, painfully, painlessly… it didn't matter at that moment.

"Well, now it makes sense…" Aidan mused softly, his hand dropping to his chin.

That stirred the warrior, who lifted her head, and said assertively, "I did _not_ go on this search because of some arrangement made before the Searing!"

The ranger smirked playfully, and replied, "I wasn't thinking about that, actually. It merely had always seemed odd to me how even the Armsmasters of Ascalon would take orders from a woman with no military rank like you, without question or complaint. It makes sense now."

"Of course…" Cynn added teasingly, "It simply wouldn't be considered a good career move to upset a future princess, right?"

Devona's head once again dropped to the tabletop. She was never going to hear the end of this…


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Devona dropped the armload of chopped firewood onto the ground then stepped aside to allow Coran to do the same. With their burdens lessened, the two early teenagers began to stack their findings on top of the already impressive stack of tinder along the north exterior of Devona's homestead.

"Thank you for helping me, Coran." Devona said, "I can't imagine this sort of work is normally asked of you."

"I'm glad to help. Though your mother is recovering, she still isn't strong enough to handle chores." Her friend answered with a pleasant smile.

"That's another thing I wanted to thank you for." Devona said, this time fighting back tears. "You've been a good friend while my mother was sick. You helped me and the priest take care of her… you've been helpful…"

"My father would have accepted nothing less from me. He feels he owes your father, and by relation, you and your mother, very much." Coran replied, "He says I wouldn't be here if not for your father, and so I owe you the same. Anything you needed, and will need, all you need to do is ask."

"Thank you." Devona replied gratefully. She had been so worried during her mother's illness, especially on the two occasions she nearly died. Coran spent every moment he could spare with her and Devona, aiding the priest sent to heal her as well as helping Devona maintain the homestead.

She threw her arms around his neck, not noticing the blush on the prince's cheeks as she repeated her gratitude. "Hey, what are friends for, right?"

"Right!" Devona affirmed. "Same goes for you, by the way. Anything you need from me, name it!"

Coran dropped the last log into place, and pointed toward the front of the homestead. "Well, now that that's done, what do you say we take a break and you and I can warm up some cider?"

"You could have read my mind." Devona sighed. They followed the perimeter of the house until voices from the window adjoining the living room, voices that riveted their attention.

They hadn't realized that other company had arrived while they were doing their chores, but sure enough, the distinctive voice of King Adelbern carried through the open portway. "Allisette, it is good to see you up and walking again. I trust you know Duke Baradin."

The Duke's voice then added, "Greetings, dear lady, I am truly amazed that you have recovered from the pox so quickly as to have left your bed."

"Well, I probably shouldn't be… but I just couldn't bear spending another minute lying down." Devona's mother answered. "Besides, it isn't fair that your son, his highness, is doing my chores for me."

"He refused to do nothing less." Adelbern answered. "And I will not allow you to stress yourself until you are ready. You came far too close to death for everyone's tastes."

"So I've been told." Devona's mother sighed, "I was deathly worried for Devona through the fevers. It's just… your highness… I'm all she has left. Had I died, she would have been alone with no one to care for her."

"That's actually why I'm here with Barradin, Allisette." Adelbern said, the secretive smugness in his voice clear. "Barradin, my son Coran and Devona seem to get along rather well, don't you think?"

The Duke laughed, "I would certainly think so. Devona's one of the few things I've noticed that brings a smile to the prince's face. They clearly are good friends."

"You flatter my daughter and myself, my lord."

"Nonsense! Your daughter is a charming, strong, and well-raised young lady." Adelbern shouted dismissively. "At any rate, you need not ever worry about the future of your daughter's care. I will personally attend to that this very moment."

"Your Highness?" Devona's mother said breathlessly, "Whatever are you saying?"

Adelbern stated grandly, "You see, your husband and I made a promise to each other, that if one of us were to die, that the other would take care of that person's family for as long as they lived. But I owe Julius a debt that I can never hope to repay in my meager lifetime."

The King paused momentarily before he added, "So I'm doing something about that. I already informed the Lord's Conclave as to my intentions, which is why Barradin is here, as a witness to what I am about to request."

"Indeed." Barradin acknowledged. "I apologize if it seems like we are railroading you here, dear lady, but when your life was in peril, we wanted to move the process along quickly."

"You don't mean…"

"With your blessing, fair Allisette, I would like to extend the offer of a bonding between my son, Prince Coran, and your daughter, Devona."

Devona's mother gasped in disbelief. "Your highness, you can't possibly mean that!"

"Of course I do, or else I wouldn't have said it!"

"But Devona is hardly a noble child… I can't imagine the Lords would allow such a thing!"

Barradin cut in, "The Lords are in full agreement. The actions of your husband, his valor, bravery, and sacrifice, granted him a nobility of spirit more than equal to the nobility of blood. Besides, even if we objected, the King can make whatever bondings he wishes."

"So, do I have your blessing?" Adelbern cajoled.

"Of… of course!" she finally forced out. "If that is what your highness truly wishes, and it is truly a relief that you'd consider my dear Devona worthy of the prince. I am honored beyond words."

Devona ducked down underneath the window, and Coran took the hint, following suit. "What just happened in there?" She asked.

Coran's face twisted into a half smile, and said, "I do believe we have been engaged to be married."

Devona's eyes bulged, and she almost forgot to remain quiet. "They can do that?"

"My brother and Barradin's daughter have a similar arrangement... this happens all the time among the noble families. As a matter of fact, I know that the Lords and Dukes have been pestering my father for some time about my availability."

"And it doesn't bother you? You're just going to accept that?" Devona said in amazement. She was in denial as it was, and she hadn't had the specter of an expected union hanging over her head like he had. "I'm of half a mind to strangle my mother right now!"

"Considering all the young girls that have been pressed on me the last year, I'm actually quite pleased with the choice." Coran said with a shrug and a smile.

Devona froze, an embarrassed blush crawling up her neck. "Really? I'm sure there are more ladylike girls among the nobles…"

"None that I'd be comfortable crouching under a window after eavesdropping on our parents with."

"It continues to amaze me that you can take such life-changing things in stride." Devona muttered with a shake of her head

"Devona! Wake up!" Cynn shouted into the warrior's ear, jerking her out of her memories. "Your lover-boy has been calling you!"

Devona sneered, and snarled, "He is _not_ my 'lover-boy', got that?"

Cynn smirked triumphantly, "Oh, so you'd be willing to track just any old person across Ascalon and Charr territory? You know, Devona, if you had told the rest of us why you were searching for the prince, we wouldn't have tagged along and thwarted your… alone time."

Before Devona could come back with a scathing retort, Coran had drawn close. "Ah, there you are, Devona. I was wondering if you'd like to take a walk with me and I can show you around the colony before everything is ripped up and abandoned."

Cynn's eyebrows rose suggestively, and earned her another trademark Devona glare. "I'd be glad to. Anything to get me away from the children I call companions."

The prince laughed, and offered his hand for Devona to take as he helped her up from the ground. He paused momentarily to address the elementalist still sitting, his face momentarily stern. "And Cynn, I will have you know Devona and I were friends long before we were bonded, and I do not appreciate such inappropriate suggestions in the future. Understood?"

Of course, Cynn was immediately apologetic. "Of course, your highness… I was… out of line. It won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't." He asserted before his face turned bright again. "Shall we go, Devona?"

She slid her arm inside his elbow, and replied, "Yes, let's."

Once they were a safe distance away, he said, "So, does the idea of marrying me really repulse you that much?"

"No!" Devona replied, "I hope that wasn't the impression I was giving you! I mean, I would have liked to have had some say in the process… I'm just irritated by Cynn's constant jibing, and now she has a whole new thing to get under my skin with."

"That's right, you were an only child, you obviously don't realize the nuances of siblings."

"What?" Devona asked incredulously.

"From the way you two interact, it's clear a sort of sibling bond has grown. Cynn sees you as a surrogate older sister, if you will. I used to tease Elana just like that when I thought she was fawning over Lord Caville's eldest son. She, predictably, acted very similar to you… although she added juvenile threats of bodily harm…"

"You get some strange ideas, Coran." Devona remarked dismissively. "I can barely tolerate Cynn most of the time."

"You think that was a strange idea?" He answered, "Just wait until I'm done showing you around…"


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Devona was simply glad to spend some time with a friend she'd never thought she would see on this mortal coil again, thus she wasn't the least bit perturbed as Coran's words began to sail completely over her head.

"See, these 'flameless torches' as you so call them are run on what's called electricity." Coran said, pointing towards the "light bulbs" as he had called them as people carried them out of various dwellings to be disposed of. "It's really quite simple. Electricity is merely one form of energy, something that we burn in our bodies every day."

"I see…" Devona remarked, even though she didn't see at all.

"In this case, the electricity is generated by the semi-dormant volcanic activity of this region. The magma chamber several miles underneath the ground is what causes the remarkable hot springs that made this area so enticing for the original colonists of Hylan. By sealing off several of these springs under metal domes, the pressure creates large amounts of energy, enough to power the turbines that create the friction needed to generate polarization of the copper wirings, and thus, we have electricity."

Devona blinked. She might as well have been listening to Sslani mumble about teleporter pads. "You certainly learned some… unusual things while at that academy."

"Not nearly as much as I wanted to…" Coran replied, "But Sslani said I had the knowledge I needed."

They were interrupted by a grizzled, near corpse of a man. In other words, he looked old and disheveled. "Charon, are you sure I have to let 'em go?" He asked in pleading.

"We don't have suits for them, and I'd love to see you try and get them in one if we did." Coran answered. "We'll all have a better chance of survival letting them go free."

"I know… but I've spent ten years… training and raising 'em."

"It can't be helped. Who knows, when we are settled down in Ascalon, you might get the opportunity to start again."

The old man scoffed. "Doubt it. Whoever's the king now is probably as arrogantly set in his ways as the rest of that 'noble' line. Hell, it's probably still that Adelbern blowhard. No action anymore, just talk and heart-felt apologies."

Devona and Coran shared a wry grin before the prince said, "Well, you never know until it happens. I trust you'll have everything in place by the final colony meeting tonight, correct?"

"Idori would skin me alive if I wasn't." He answered glumly. "Well, I'll leave you to your business, Charon." With that, he rather shuffled away around a corner off the main road.

"Is that the slander you've had to put up with? Adelbern was anything but talk, and a truly noble man." Devona finally remarked with an insulted scowl.

Coran shrugged. "My father's legavy speaks for itself. The words of those who knew him in passing at best barely concern me. Besides, whether it was justified or not, he did leave the people of this colony to the mercies of the Charr. Such animosity should be expected."

Devona first caught a slight, distinctive smell that instantly set her on the defensive. She spun, looking for the source of the odor, and quickly found it, approaching from behind as if unfazed by the fact it was walking through the streets of the Hylan Colony. Even more surprising was that no one else seemed at all perturbed by the fact that a full grown Charr was moving through.

Further thought on the matter was overruled by her instincts, and Devona screamed out a battle cry before lunging to meet the canine-like beast, drawing her Rinblade from her back in anticipation of an attack.

"Devona! No!" Coran protested, but he was too far away for Devona to hear him clearly as she chopped downward. To her surprise, her opponent was nimble, leaping back with a surprised expression, and also fading away from the swipe that the warrior followed with.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw two armored colony guards approaching, then was nearly blindsided when she noticed they were charging her. Devona spun away from the first, and parried away the second's attack, before taking another slash at the retreating Charr. What in Dwayna's name was going on here?

"_Hold your ground this instant!_" Coran's voice bellowed, and Devona's reaction to the monarch's order was instantaneous and expected. She froze in mid swing, and closed her eyes in anticipation of the Charr's attack, that she knew would take full advantage of her hesitation.

But when said reprisal didn't come, she opened her eyes again to notice that her opponent had also stopped, jerked into a board-rigid attention, its eyes glaring back at Devona with extreme confusion.

"Are you alright, my friend?" Coran asked in concern.

"Of course… a little confused as to why this Charr is…" Devona began, then was startled to silence when the prince walked right past her, and put a friendly hand on the beast's shoulder.

The Charr grunted and snarled, making swift and seemingly meaningless gestures with its hands. Coran smiled, turned slightly to Devona, and said, "He says you're crazy, and that you should be hanged."

At that moment, her three companions burst onto the main street. "We heard commotion…" Cynn said, "We thought maybe the… _Charr_!"

Coran imposed himself in front of the beast, hands held out in warning, "Stay your hand, fair Cynn!" When the elementalist reluctantly did so, Coran once more turned his attention to the Charr, and said, "I'm sorry, they don't know yet."

The canine creature seemed to ponder this, then barked softly, making more gestures that none of the four could make any sense of. "Well, obviously I'm going to tell them _now_…" Coran replied, "I wasn't embarrassed of you at all… I guess I'm so used to your lineage that it hadn't occurred to me to inform them."

Finally, Coran addressed the adventurers, "Well, to make the introductions formal, this is Grazz… I believe I might have mentioned him earlier…"

Cynn gave up trying to keep her head from spinning. They had returned to the central building, and into the same meeting room as before. From there Coran explained how a Charr had come into an alliance with the Hylan Colony.

Grazz had been rejected from his pride, for a reason that the Charr would not divulge even to Coran, and after some time of wandering, came upon the small colony, struggling to make ends meet in the north lands. No doubt drawn by feelings of isolation and loneliness, Grazz had assisted the floundering establishment from afar, usually by leaving meat from his hunts or trails to water.

He had met Coran as the prince had fled from the attack on his caravan. Delirious from thirst and hunger, Coran had drifted past a breach in the Northern Wall, and had been fortunate to stumble upon Grazz and not some less than noble representatives of Grazz's kind. Having provided the Prince with initial aid, Grazz had then taken him to the only place he knew with those of Coran's kind.

The move proved beneficial for both parties. The Hylan Colony gained a scholar that helped them improve on their lives after the Searing, and Grazz had benefited as well, eventually finding acceptance in the people who now came to understand how much they owed the outcast Charr.

"Okay… so you…" She said, pointing towards Coran, "Have befriended… that…" She added, pointing at Grazz.

"Well, actually, Grazz had taken a bit of a liking to the Hylan Colony long before I came around." Coran replied. "I just merely devised a way for them to communicate with each other."

"Is that what all those hand signals are about?" Aiden asked.

"Correct. They're a type of sign language. The Charr voice box isn't capable of forming the consonant and vowel sounds of the common Tyrian tongue, so I adapted a frequently used form of scout signing into a full language."

"Wonderful…" Cynn groused under her breath. "A talkative throw rug. How delightful."

Grazz took offense to the statement, growling as Coran smirked knowingly. "By the by, while Grazz may not be able to _speak_ common Tyrian, he is more than able to _understand_ what is being said… and has remarkably delicate hearing."

Even though Cynn had no grasp of Charr body language, and that any number of facial expressions could have looked no different to her eyes, she was fairly certain that the narrow eyed glare Grazz was eyeing her with would not fall under the "friendly" category.

"Anyway, we've had plenty of adventure at the moment." Coran answered, "And, the unobservant host I am, failed to realize that the four of you have probably had some hard travel just to get here. And considering that equally hard travel is likely waiting for you come nightfall… it might be prudent to take advantage of what food we have not stored for our move, as well as some bedding within this very building."

Devona didn't feel particularly hungry or tired, but experience had taught her that with her lifestyle, one took of either whenever the opportunity presented itself. The other three didn't need any cajoling either, quickly taking advantage of the offers as they stood and turned to find the bedding proffered.

As they retreated from the meeting hall, Coran turned to Grazz, and offered comfort to his large friend. "Grazz, this isn't anything you haven't had to deal with before. It will take time to earn their trust, but I know that they will come to do so. Pay no mind to words of ignorance."

Coran waited for Grazz to acknowledge the words before he added, "Are you sure you want to do this? You can be assured that I would not let any harm come to you in Ascalon."

Grazz nodded, and grumbled. His hands quickly forming into the signs that Coran interpreted to mean that Grazz fully intended to use his racial advantages to scout and report on the Charr. He was certain that his kind would not be satisfied with one campaign, and that any knowledge of their movements would be vital to Ascalon's survival.

"I will say this of your kind, their bravery knows no bounds. Nonetheless, my offer has no expiration. You will always be welcome in my home. Now, it might not be a bad idea for you to get some rest as well."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

By the time evening rolled around, a nervous anticipation hovered over the colony like a thick fog. No matter where you went, you could see the unknowing fear in the eyes of the Hylan citizens, although if Devona was honest with herself, it shouldn't have come to much of a surprise. The Hylan Colony had been founded nearly thirty years ago by those looking to get away from the Guild Wars plaguing the human lands. For many of the people here, this colony was all they knew.

One last full meeting of all citizens was called for after the evening meals, in order to make sure that everyone was sure of the plans and how they were being coordinated. It was probably a good thing too, as the fears and questions were numerous.

"How are we to be expected to survive with nothing more than we can quickly carry?"

Idori, the aged governor of the colony sighed, "We've been over this several times. All you should need is food and water to last at most three days. Nothing else is required. Anything beyond that should only be taken if you are absolutely convinced you can handle the extra burden without slowing you down. I know this may sound harsh, but we will leave you behind if you are too slow."

"Then how will we survive once we reach Ascalon? How do we know we'll even be allowed in to begin with?"

At this point, Coran leaned into Devona's ear. "From this point on… I might need your protection."

"Coran! You can't…" The warrior said frightfully, "They might…"

"They deserve to know, and to have their fears assuaged." He answered grimly. "I can only trust that the people will accept it. If not… just keep your blade ready."

Coran stood, and gently nudged Idori aside. "That will not be a problem at all. These four behind me indeed came from Ascalon, but not because I sent for them. They were looking for me."

The second questioner was understandably perplexed, and the murmurs of the crowd shared his curiosity… summed up in one simple word, "Why?"

Coran took a deep breath, and noted out of the corner of his eye that Devona had indeed stood and took a position just to his right, her hand on the hilt of her Rinblade… just in case. The shadows playing off the evening sun behind him also indicated that her three friends had followed suit. Coran found the gesture comforting.

"I have a slight bit of a confession to make." The prince began, not even a hint of wariness in his voice. Devona marveled in that slight change. Years before, the mere thought of addressing any large group of people had made him nervous.

Coran gathered his thoughts one last time, then thrust into the heart of the matter, "Contrary to what I, and Idori, and his council may have led you to believe… I did not lose my memory at any point in time. I have always been perfectly clear about who I am… Coran, son of Adelbern, and Prince of Ascalon."

There was a deep thoughtful silence that could have meant anything among the masses following that admission. Coran took advantage to finish his own thoughts, "These four brave souls came from a long, dangerous quest to inform me that my father and all my older siblings have passed on. Thus, I think you now understand why entry into Ascalon concerns me little."

The murmurs started again, this time reflecting uncertainty, and perhaps even denial. "I do not wish to claim anything about my father's actions. I understand you felt abandoned by my family and the country we rule." Then his voice grew stern, another change from the quiet, sometimes overly passive young man Devona had known. "Nonetheless, we don't have much time to argue this point. If you do not trust me because of my name, then you are free to find your own way. I'd much rather think your own personal observation would hold more weight, but if not… I will not waste any more of these good peoples' time on you."

That quite adequately served to squash any dissent festering among the colony's inhabitants.

"Good." Coran finished, noting the silence. "Now, Idori can fill you in on the particulars, and we can begin to make our leave. Everyone _must_ be ready at dusk. I cannot stress that enough."

Cynn was used to skintight clothing for the most part, but this near seamless, one piece black… thing… was another animal entirely. If it truly was the same stuff that the "Shades" (the name given to Yuu's regiment of scouts and assassins), wore, she was amazed they ever had time to do anything at all.

She had just managed to pull the uncooperative material over her hips when there was a knock on the door leading out to the hall. Instinctively, she said, "Come in, and make it quick."

With that prompt, Mhenlo stepped inside, then yelped as Cynn screamed, throwing her hands over her chest. He ducked back into the hall and covered his eyes as Cynn howled accusingly, "You perverted little monk! Thought you could get a free peep?"

"You were the one that bid me enter!" Mhenlo shouted back. "How was I supposed to know you were indecent?"

As Cynn silently acknowledged that point, she noticed that his neck and cheeks had turned a bright red, offset by the dark gray iconic tattoos already there. A mischievous grin slowly pulled at the sides of her mouth, and the pretty little elementalist knew right then that she could have some fun with this.

"Did you think maybe I _wanted_ to give you a view?" She then asked, half accusing, half suggestive.

"I… of course not!" Mhenlo replied, backing away, trying with all his might to keep his eyes behind his hand.

"That's a shame." Cynn answered. "Because you know… I'd be willing to do a trade… I'll show you mine if you show me yours…"

Mhenlo felt it was fortunate that he was covering his eyes, because he was certain they would have burst from his skull otherwise. "Wh… wha?" He responded oh so eloquently.

"You heard me." The elementalist asserted. "Let's see what you have to offer. It's only fair…"

Her poor victim was now no longer sure if this was a wonderful dream, or a horrific nightmare. He gave thanks to Dwayna that he hadn't yet changed into the black form-fitting suit he had been given, as he feared it would have left little of his… current state… to the imagination.

"That probably wouldn't be prudent... I was just sent to see if you had everything in order…" Mhenlo began, totally lost as to how he should proceed with the disturbing direction this small task had taken.

Cynn then abruptly growled in frustration, and again, Mhenlo was thrown off by the elementalist's swift change in demeanor. She freed one arm momentarily to completely shove Mhenlo away from the door, and snapped, "I'm fine, but I don't want to see you approach me again until you become a man."

The door then slammed loudly, and Mhenlo finally found himself able to decompress and think logically again. Nonetheless, he remained dazed as to what had just happened. "I suspect there was a better way to have handled that…"

Devona did not like leaving her armor behind. She felt vulnerable, and it was not a pleasant sensation, even as Coran repeatedly assured her that she was likely more safe in the black material she now found herself in.

"You must understand, my dear… that just because we can't see something… doesn't mean it isn't there." Coran repeated. "Energy is all around us, and only a small amount of it is in the form of visible light we see."

Devona sighed. "Meaning…?"

"Well, let's put it this way… when you see a tree, or a river… you're actually not seeing those things exactly… but the energy they are reflecting in the form of light." The prince tried to explain, "Among the energy spectrum, light is a very small band. For the Charr… and the dwarves, if I understand correctly, they have a slightly broader range of energy they can see."

He drew a long line in the dust on the table in front of them. "For the sake of argument, let's say this is what Sslani calls 'The Electromagnetic Spectrum'. The energy that humans see as 'visible' light would reside about in here…" He then drew two small intersecting lines that did indeed frame a very small section in the center of the larger line. "For the Charr, their low limit is a bit further." He added a third line, barely to the right of the second. "In this range lies what my teacher called 'Infrared Energy'. The heat our bodies generate actually falls in this category."

"So you're saying that the Charr can actually _see_ the heat in our bodies?" Devona asked.

"Yes!" Coran nearly chirped, glad that Devona was getting a grasp of what he was saying. "Humans have generally assumed that the Charr have better vision than us, because they seemed to be able to see things so well in the dark. In fact, in terms of clarity of sight, I'd wager the Charr actually see slightly _poorer_ than humankind on average… they can just see more along the spectrum than we can."

"And these suits help prevent that." Devona stated.

"Correct. The suits are designed with insulation fibers that keep heat from escaping. You'll probably feel awfully warm and sticky, but that really can't be helped. Coupled with the shrouding techniques of the Shades they'll use during the day… we should be nigh invisible to the Charr as we move through their lands."

"You know, you could have just said, 'the Charr can see the heat from you, and this suit prevents them from doing that."

He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I need to remind myself I'm no longer in the academy."

"Coran dear, you've been making complex out of simple for years before you were ever in Sslani's care." Devona retorted with a wry grin. "It's actually one of your endearing traits."

"Endearing, am I?" Coran said with narrowed eyes as he closed the distance between them. "Funny, that wasn't what you called me as I left for Tranquility Temple about five years ago."

"Well, I was a young girl then. I thought you were more than you really were. Now, with age I've come to realize how mellow you are."

"I'm mellow now, am I?" Then Coran ended Devona's teasing.

Devona had to admit his kiss had much more power and intent than their first, which had been a swift, secret exchange as Coran had been preparing to leave Ashford Abbey. He was clearly no teenager anymore…

Yuu's cough interrupted them, and while Devona was blushing furiously at being caught, Coran didn't seem to be perturbed in the slightest.

"Can I help you, Yuu?"

The now shrouded woman remarked almost coldly, "Just to remind you how adamant you were that everyone be ready by dusk." She then gestured towards the small window that now perfectly framed a setting sun.

"Oh, yes, you're quite right, my dear. Shall we be going, Devona?" Coran offered his arm once again to the warrior, who took it with a half smile just before Yuu escorted them towards the exit.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

"Easy, dear one…" Coran whispered softly to Devona, "They can't see us… but they could possibly _hear_ us if you get too agitated."

"Yes… I know…" she replied as breathlessly as she could manage. "I trust you, but it is disconcerting."

They were talking about the sounds of Charr at the top of the ravine that they were currently at the bottom of, following the first group of fleeing Hylan colonists led by Grazz and Yuu. Her every instinct was to locate the beasts and have them slain… even though her rational mind was going through the varied reasons why that would not be a legitimate option.

Because they were engrossed in their own conversation, Coran actually bumped into Aidan, who had stopped to examine one of the path markers Grazz had placed with the glowing green "chemical light" that was on his wrist. The ranger stumbled, falling onto his stomach with a loud grunt.

The party instantly froze as Coran called everyone to silence. A nervous tension spread through the small group as the sounds of Charr above stopped save for a few inquisitive barks. They must have heard Aidan's fall…

After roughly a minute, the more passive grumblings resumed from the dog-like beings, as they had apparently given up on what had initially drawn their attention. Aiden was about ready to give the all clear when they heard a familiar voice that shouldn't have been there.

"So… what's the hold up?" Cynn asked curiously.

Devona had to slap a hand over Coran's mouth to keep him from yelping in surprise, and alerting the Charr yet again. She turned towards the direction of Cynn's voice, the elementalist barely visible (much less recognizable), in the full body suit and mask that everyone else was wearing.

"We had to lay low from the Charr patrol above." Devona replied. "Everything is fine. Return to your team this instant."

Somehow, Devona knew that Cynn was smirking like she had just heard an amusing joke. The elementalist kneeled down reverently, then said with a hint of humor, "Of course, my queen, I shall do as you require immediately." Then Cynn hopped to her feet, and swiftly jogged back down the trail towards the third group where she had been assigned.

By that time, Aiden had resumed the trek, forcing Devona and Coran to increase their stride in order to catch up. It then took about five minutes for the implication of what Cynn had said to sink into the young warrior's mind.

When it did, Devona stopped dead in her tracks. Cynn had called her, "my queen". Of course, it made sense. Greatly premature, of course, but accurate; Devona was engaged to Coran. Coran was returning to Ascalon to succeed his departed father's throne. Coran would be annointed King, and once his marriage to Devona was confirmed (which, despite coming before the Searing, had no reason to be annulled as far as she knew); she would in essence become Queen Devona.

There was a scary thought.

It was one thing to be married to a young prince who likely would have been appointed High Priest of Dwayna in Ascalon. She would have been granted the title, "Princess", but it would have meant little, really. Her life probably wouldn't have changed much save for the occasional bow and "your highness" from others in public venues.

But being wed to the King of Ascalon was another matter entirely. To be "Queen" in the Ascalon model would grant Devona a right to power as Coran's "left hand". She would have a rank equal to his chief advisor (called the "right hand"), who in Adelbern's case had been Duke Barradin, and with an authority in all matters of state and person only overruled by her husband. In fact, until she were to give birth to a successor, if anything were to happen to Coran, then she would ascend to the throne as the official monarch of the whole kingdom, and even if she did have a child, she would remain the head of state until her son or daughter were to come of age…

Yikes.

While Devona had no problems being a leader, it was one thing to give orders to people who followed her by choice; and entirely another to give orders as a mouthpiece of law, to be obeyed regardless of opinion. That sort of responsibility, often to people she would never meet, began to bog down her mind with an unbearable weight.

Good gods, how must she have appeared to Duke Barradin and Lord Darrin? A power grabbing commoner wench, giddy with the idea of suddenly having the opportunity to sit her butt in a throne never meant for her…

"Devona, dear, what is wrong?" Coran asked, his voice breaking through her deeply entrenched, thoughtful state.

"I…" She began then remembered exactly where they were… in the middle of a ravine in which Charr were prowling about at the top. Not exactly a place to be discussing marital issues. She shook her head violently, as if trying to shake her thoughts from her brain, and said, "I'm sorry. It's nothing that we can waste time worrying over right now."

"Are you sure?"

"Very. Right now, far too many people are counting on us to allow myself to distract you along with me."

"Very well, I won't pry further, but only if you promise to discuss with me whatever is on your mind either when day breaks, or if that proves impossible, when we return to Ascalon."

"I promise."

Then, once again, Cynn's voice interrupted. "Dwayna save you two, what is the delay _now_?"

"Nothing to concern you, fair Cynn." Coran answered, "I have merely hobbled myself with a misplaced step, and Devona was ensuring I was alright." He then addressed Devona, "Speaking of which, my dear, I do believe I we should proceed on."

* * *

It was near noon when Grazz and Yuu reached the outer boundaries of their knowledge of the terrain, along the banks of one of the few pure water lakes remaining in the Northern Lands. Coran and Idori had deemed it an ideal spot for the colonists to rest, regroup, and readjust their ranks for the second leg of their journey. 

That meant Aiden took charge of the lead group, with Devona, Cynn, Mhenlo, Coran, Yuu, and Idori forming the remainder of the party. Grazz would join them as added support just in case, but would retreat back into Charr territory as they neared the wall to lookout for the remaining colonists.

"So, are you willing to talk now?" Coran asked politely

Devona's head jerked up from her meal, and she blinked twice before her mind clicked on what he had been referring to. She wanted to say "no"… Grenth take it, she wanted to wish it all away, and never discuss it again. But she also knew that wouldn't be fair, to him, to her, to the entire kingdom.

"I don't think we should marry."

Devona's heart instantly lurched as she saw the expression on Coran's face. She might as well have struck him for no reason.

"Why? Have I done something?" Coran asked, the hurt in his voice evident. He sat down next to her, but kept some distance, as if afraid of appearing to make any unwelcome moves.

Devona closed that distance, hoping to be reassuring, "You haven't done anything, Coran. It's… just… I shouldn't be Queen."

"Why not? The bonding we have is more than legit, witnessed by Barradin, and accepted by the Conclave." Coran answered, "Any objections by anyone would be dismissed immediately."

"Coran, I was never meant to be a queen. You know that. I'm not a noble, and the only reason the Lords and Dukes accepted your father's proposal was with the knowledge I'd never see a throne."

"And I was never meant to be king, either… but it's going to happen, anyway." He reminded. "As for the Lords and your nobility, I am of the knowledge that very question was broached during the discussion of our engagement. It clearly did not hinder the process."

Finally, Devona said in frustration, "But what if I don't _want_ to be queen?"

Coran shrugged, "Then you don't have to be. The laws of Ascalon state quite clearly that my wife need not take the Monarch's Oath. In fact, Doric's wife refused that title as well, which was why my ancestor established that very law; and I would contend it turned out just fine indeed."

Devona found it very sweet how Coran was doing everything he could to convince her, and it served to calm her tone of voice, "Coran, I can't do that. The people of Ascalon will expect a queen, and they deserve one… you deserve one. I don't think I could handle that…"

The would-be king took Devona's hands, "How about this; before you make any permanent decision… give it some time. When we settle back in Ascalon, perhaps you'll change your mind. There are many other options that I haven't even mentioned, and perhaps one will suit you better than totally severing our bond."

Devona highly doubted that, but she found she couldn't say no to him. Instead she nodded silently… even as she knew it would prolong the war between her heart and her head.

"Thank you. I don't want to lose you to some paltry title." Coran said endearingly, placing a kiss on her cheek. "At any rate, Aiden suggests we should be on our way quickly. The longer we are in this large group, the more likely we'll be spotted."

Cynn watched as Coran stood, and left Devona to her own devices. The elementalist scowled in frustration. As much as she may have teased Devona, Cynn wasn't about to let the warrior just throw it all away. Once again, Cynn was going to have to save the woman from herself… and had just the plan in mind…

"Greetings, Devona." Cynn said cheerily, plopping down beside the warrior.

"Hello." Devona grumped sourly. This was the last thing the older woman needed.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop on your conversation with Coran, honest." The elementalist began. "But I did overhear nonetheless. Is it true you wish to break the bonding?"

"If you heard, then you would already know that is precisely what I requested." Devona growled. What was cooking in that girl's devious little brain?

"Good."

Devona's scowled deepened, and her lips turned downward into a suspicious frown. "What do you mean, 'good'?"

"Well… I mean… if you're no longer interested… that means that Coran is available again, right? And while you may balk at becoming queen, I have no such qualms at all."

For a brief moment, Devona moved to slap the little brat for her audacity. But even as her heart wanted to strangle Cynn and warn the elementalist off from now until the end of time, her head was being contrary.

Indeed, Cynn came from a noble family, and supposedly a rather major one. The elementalist would be much more suited and accepted in the role of a monarch, even if her family hadn't been among the power elite in Rin. And Devona had to admit Cynn was pretty and graceful and elegant… and even polite, charming, and lady-like when she wanted to be… everything that was expected of a queen, and certainly more than Devona could claim of herself.

"If you think you would make an appropriate match… I'd accept it." Devona finally said, even as it felt like she had to rip the words right out of her lungs.

Cynn could also could observe the difficulty Devona had giving such… permission, and the bold distaste reflected in the warrior's eyes. Cynn smirked triumphantly, which she knew Devona would mistake for the elementalist's near arrogant confidence.

This was going to be far too easy…


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

Devona was going to kill her.

At least, that was the thought on Mhenlo's mind as he watched Cynn saunter up very suggestively towards his friend and soon to be king as they began partaking of the evening meal. The fire magic coursing through her veins must have fried her brain… what was she thinking?

Across the loose gathering of people, not even five yards away from Coran and Cynn, was Devona, glaring daggers at the elementalist, her mind no doubt entertaining a multitude of different tortures that would suit her tastes.

Mhenlo couldn't hear what Cynn was saying, but there was no denying her body language… it almost had an audible voice of its own. Her right arm slid around Coran's shoulders, and she whispered something into the prince's ear that made him flush vividly even from where Mhenlo was standing.

The monk turned around, and stormed off behind a rocky outcropping to finish eating. He was suddenly feeling sick…

"What in the depths of the Underworld has possessed you, Cynn?" Coran asked in flustered confusion, gently trying to slide away from the lithe form that was pressing up against his arm.

"I heard what happened…" Cynn said, her voice soft and husky as she ran her left index finger up and down the prince's forearm, "I just want you to know that I am more than willing to comfort you in any way you need."

"That's good to know." Coran replied, gulping as he tried to gently pull his arm away, then regretting it as Cynn crushed her chest against his shoulder. "If I ever need such comfort, I'll be sure to let you know…"

"I can be so much more fun than that droll, mean Devona, and I won't get scared by a crown either." Cynn replied, casting a glance in said warrior's direction. Cynn knew Devona could hear every word being uttered, and the look on the warrior's face told Cynn that everything was progressing exactly as she planned. "Plus, I'm sure I'm much better at pleasing a man…"

At that point, Devona swiftly stood, her entire body trembling ever so slightly from barely restrained rage. She tossed a casual, "I shall grant you both some time alone…" and then stomped away from the pair towards where Yuu, Idori, and Grazz were discussing something with Aiden, likely the next step in their journey.

However, with Devona gone, Coran suddenly morphed into something Cynn wasn't expecting. He went from flustered to furious with the blink of an eye, and roughly shrugged Cynn away, causing her to very nearly lose her balance.

"I will ask you one more time, what in Grenth's name was that… lewd and unwelcome display about?" The prince hissed quietly, but there was no mistaking the livid anger in his voice.

Cynn's plan suddenly looked a lot less sound in her mind. "I was just... trying to make Devona jealous…"

"And for what gods forsaken reason would you want to do that? Please tell me, I could use a good laugh right about now."

"I thought that if I could get her jealous… she'd… rethink her decision to call off your wedding…"

"And so that gave you the right to act like a sex-starved prostitute?" Coran snarled, standing and looking down on the elementalist distastefully. Cynn was suddenly starting to feel very, very small… and she could now clearly see the father in the son.

Coran's eyes narrowed even further, and his jaw clenched tightly before he snapped, "I will have you know that I have the issue with my bondmate quite well in hand, and I do _not_ need the assistance of some whorish little girl who thinks she's a woman. Now get out of my sight before I leave you to the Charr's mercies. Ask Yuu sometime how it feels to be at their hands."

Cynn did just that, stumbling to her feet before slinking away in the first direction that came to mind. But as the stunned fear of the recent exchange began to melt away, it was replaced by a bit of an insulted humiliation.

It wasn't the fact that she was rejected. She had been expecting that. It hadn't taken long for Cynn to know that Coran was smitten with Devona, and nothing short of the warrior stabbing him in his manhood with a dull knife was likely to change that.

But what really stung was the dismissive way the Prince shrugged her off. He claimed she was a "little girl who thinks she's a woman". _That_ struck a nerve. Granted, she had never tried to really apply her feminine wiles seriously, but she had figured that it wouldn't take much. She was an attractive girl, after all… or was she?

Cynn suddenly had an urge to find out… and knew just where to go to do so... but where did he get off to?

* * *

Mhenlo suddenly did not feel terribly hungry. He felt like he wanted to throw up, but also knew that it wouldn't solve the aching sting in his stomach.

These feelings really weren't news to him. He had come to accept a while ago that he had fallen for the elementalist with an attitude of acid and a manner that could change with the wind. Dwayna help him, he couldn't figure out _why_, but he had.

Maybe it was those moments where she would drop the spiny armor she wrapped around her personality, and revealed the vulnerable young woman she really was; a lady who had lost everything and everyone she loved in the Searing, thus reluctant to allow anyone to care for her out of the terror of being left alone in this world once more.

This was the same woman who lent an ear whenever Mhenlo struggled with his unique blessing of having the favor of two gods, who occasionally require that he act in two very different ways in the same situation. This was the same woman who eventually "advised" him (accompanied with a slap to the back of his head), that if the gods were really so insistent that he act a very specific way, they'd find a more overt way to tell him they were displeased. In that same breath, she declared she had faith in him, and that he'd know the right way to proceed, and if he made a mistake, so what? Everyone did.

Every so often, Mhenlo entertained the thought that Cynn had started to develop similar feelings for him. He knew for a fact that she had never shown the deeply hidden, scared and hurt side of her to anyone else… he had thought that might have been a sign that she was at least feeling closer to him than anyone else.

That all went out the window, obviously. The moment a more appealing option opened to her ambitions, she was all over it like a wolf on a moa bird. Granted, Mhenlo admitted that Coran _would_ be a more appealing option. The chance to be a queen? What woman would be foolish enough (outside of Devona, the monk mused with a roll of his eyes) to pass that up? And it certainly wasn't that the prince was a poor sample of human kind… where Rurik had definitely taken after his father's rugged, angular looks, Coran had inherited an exceptional balance of that and his mother's smoother, more elegant, features. Granted, Mhenlo was a man, and likely not completely in tune with what women desired, but he would think he would find Coran to be remarkably attractive.

But the way she was touching him… flirting… had Mhenlo acted that way to Cynn, she would have slapped him clear back over the wall into Ascalon. It all led to the conclusion that he had been grossly incorrect about her feelings…

"Do you think I'm beautiful?" Cynn's voice asked from behind him.

The monk jolted with a start, and saw the elementalist standing behind him, toying with the neck clasp of her vest and blouse.

"Why should my opinion matter? Doesn't Coran find you quite lovely?" The monk asked with a bitter snort.

"I don't know… he didn't seem to."

"So, I'm your fall back option, am I?" Mhenlo snarled, and Cynn reared back with something resembling fear in her eyes. "Your second choice?"

What was going on with the men in this camp? Cynn wondered as the normally unflappable Mhenlo snapped at her violently. "What are you talking about?" She asked.

"Dear Prince Coran rejected your advances outright, didn't he? And now since the avenue of queen has been shut, you've decided that I'd at least do for whatever desires you might have? I'm just a paltry monk, though… are you sure there isn't some duke or lord back in Ascalon you can seduce? I don't want you to close off all your routes for advancement so quickly."

Suddenly Cynn laughed, finally getting to the brunt of the poor little monk's issues. The boy was sweet, and she had to admit, rather cute when jealous. Her plan had worked, after all… just not on the target she had intended. "Mhenlo…" She began, having to fight back some giggles in order to finish her thoughts. "I have no desires towards Prince Coran, nor do I desire the crown."

"Then why were you pasting yourself on top of him?"

"That was my attempt to get Devona jealous… to make her think that if she might lose Coran, to rethink her decision to break off the bonding between them." She remarked with an amused, playful smirk. "Coran made it quite clear that he didn't want my help in that regard in the future."

However, rather than calming the monk, that merely seemed to give him another reason to be sore at her. "So, you're not being loose, just merely being manipulative." He said coldly. "You have done some nasty things, Cynn… but this is exceptional even for you. I had always figured you didn't fully realize the emotions you were toying with in others, now I see you are quite well aware of your antics indeed."

Now Cynn was speechless, and once again, she began to think that maybe there was something in the air making everyone of the male gender irritable.

"Don't approach me again until you grow up." Mhenlo growled, intentionally using a variation of her own words, before turning full about, and leaving her completely to herself.

Cynn was not one for crying. In fact, she last time she had done so was when she had pulled her mother's lifeless body from the remains of their home in Surmia after she had fought off the Charr that had pulled Cynn from the rubble. The toils of life since then had tempered her from such a weak display... but as the first few pools of moisture appeared on her cheeks, she realized just how hurtful the words Mhenlo had said were to her, and what they meant.

She had really screwed up this time, and had no idea how she could fix it…


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

Cynn had never been one for apologies. Her mantra had always been one of "if you get in my way, that's your own damn fault". Thus, she was quite out of practice when it came to terms of saying she was sorry.

Nonetheless, this time it was required. She really _didn't_ want to know what happens to people left for the Charr to find… especially if they turned out remotely like the anti-social black clothed illusionist-warrior grumbling sourly near the lead of the party.

First, she wanted to seek out Coran, deathly afraid that they had really gotten off on the wrong foot. It was part stalling the person she really felt she owed an apology, and part practical. Cynn was somewhat worried she and Coran had started off on the wrong foot, and having the King as an enemy is never a good idea, be you peasant or noble.

She approached Prince Coran, only to notice that the grumbling from his apparently appointed chief bodyguard was directed towards him.

"You should have told me when it happened, Coran." Yuu growled. "I would have gutted Miss Priss from stomach to sternum."

Cynn's right hand instinctively drifted over her chest.

"While I truly doubt that, Yuu… that fear is precisely why I _didn't_ tell you right away. I know your father assigned you to protect me, but I suspect he meant more from threats of bodily harm."

"I have seen a man break as easily mentally as physically." The assassin replied, unrepentant.

"Cynn was merely trying to be helpful, in a mischievously helpful way consistent with the sibling dynamic that I sensed between her and my bondmate. In the end, it was relatively harmless, even though Mhenlo was quite upset by the display. He is fond of Cynn, I've noticed."

"Poor fool…" Yuu snorted.

"Well, the heart is blind."

"While that may be, I can assure you I feel no such affection. If that little spell caster that has been shadowing us for the last three minutes comes any closer, I might just explore her innards with a sharp rock."

Okay… perhaps Cynn could apologize to Coran later…

Knowing that Mhenlo probably wasn't in much of a mood to listen to anything she had to say for a while, Cynn then turned her attention to Devona, who was looking as dour as the elementalist had ever seen her. It was likely that there too, any apology would fall on deaf ears.

But at least with Devona, death would be relatively quick, rather than being guilted to a pathetic demise.

"Umm… Devona…?"

The warrior whirled about with self-indignant fury. "So, did your come-ons do the trick, 'my queen'?" Devona said the last two words with a sarcastic sneer, making little effort to hide her displeasure. The warrior really must have been upset.

Cynn gulped as her lips tried to work around the somewhat foreign words she felt she had to say. "Devona… I'm… sorry."

The oddity was not missed by Devona. Cynn never apologized… at least, not directly. "Who are you, and what have you done to the real Cynn?"

The elementalist scowled. "I'm being serious here. I really, really was out of line. I shouldn't have come onto your bondmate like that, regardless of my intentions."

"Doesn't concern me anymore." Devona said in an attempt to be dismissive.

"That's a lie. You can't even pretend it isn't." Cynn said with a roll of her eyes. "He's head over heels for you, although I sometimes wonder why, and it was pretty obvious to me you feel the same."

"It's irrelevant. It wouldn't be right for us to marry."

Cynn found it amusing that while she was supposedly the "noble" one of the group, more often that not it was Devona who got hung up on what was "proper" and "appropriate". It was amusing most of the time… but occasionally, it could get real annoying. "Devona, you do know you wouldn't have to wear dresses all the time, right?"

"What… in Grenth's name are you going on about?"

Cynn had to fight back a chuckle. "You don't have to be the prim and elegant lady that Queen Myrissa was. You don't have to curtsey and play cute; if you want to be a fighter who happens to be queen, who's going to tell you no?"

Devona's eyes darkened, and for a moment, Cynn wasn't even sure the warrior's next words were meant for the elementalist. "That's precisely the problem, Cynn."

Cynn's mind initially misinterpreted the statement. "You _want_ to be a pretty little queen?"

Devona growled in frustration. "No, that's not what I… just forget it."

A roaring Charr drew her attention, and at first the warrior started in alarm before spotting the red armband around the beast's right wrist that identified him as Grazz. He gestured broadly, likely so that Coran could see from the distance the party was from him.

And what the Charr outcast had to say wasn't good. "Warbands… coming this way quickly." Coran translated. "Five groups of ten warriors, each led… by a Charr Lord."

Devona paled ever so slightly. She had heard of the great Charr Lords, even if she had never had the opportunity to face one in battle. One would likely be a test, but five accompanied by their own warbands…

Yuu clearly reached the same conclusion. "If they're coming directly towards us, they'll eventually get close enough to see through this blanket illusion. I'm not sure how skilled your friends are, Coran, but I doubt we'd have much chance against those numbers."

"You have no idea what we're capable of when not running for our lives." Cynn huffed.

"It's not us we should worry about anyway, but the groups behind us." Devona corrected. "I doubt they even have our level of skill."

"I know this might be a shock for you to hear me say, my friends… but I am out of ideas." Coran muttered with the reluctance of a man used to having all the answers.

Devona did have an idea, but she wasn't terribly fond of it… although it would likely wind up solving the marriage issue. "I'll go and intercept them. I'll give you all enough time to get to the wall."

Not surprisingly, Coran was quick with his objection. "That's a suicide mission, and you know it as well as the rest of us. I will not have it!"

"There isn't any time to argue." Devona snapped back, "Now get to the wall!" She ignored any further protests with her quick sprint towards Grazz, who she burst past so quickly that he wouldn't have been able to stop her even if ordered.

Grazz had not been exaggerating his report either, as by the time she reached the top of a rise not even 200 yards from the party position, she literally ran into the lead scout of the first Charr warband, tumbling back down the other side in a struggling clump before hitting the bottom, leaving one dead Charr with a broken neck, and one mildly miffed warrior drawing her hammer from off her back.

"You wouldn't happen to be looking for a fight, would you?" Devona snarled to the rest of the band that had since caught up. "If so, I'm more than willing to accommodate."

It didn't take a genius to figure out what happened next. Three Charr front line warriors, two axe wielders and a swordsman surged forward, but those concerned Devona little. One of the axe monsters crumpled unceremonious from one well placed blow to it chest, the satisfying crack of ribs telling Devona it wouldn't be doing much else in the near or far future.

The second axe wielder took the half of her hammer in the temple, its skull splitting from the blow, then finished off with another blow to the top of its cranium. And even with those two distractions, Devona was able to parry aside two attacks from the swordsman before knocking it down, and killing it with one devastating blow to its neck.

She was then peppered by arrows from the line of Stalker situated in front of the Charr Lord, normally they wouldn't have even been a pithy concern, but with her armor left behind in the Hylan Colony, she found it prudent to have to dodge the barrage of projectiles. Nontheless, they proved to be a minor problem at best.

The Charr Lord, on the other hand… classified as a very big problem. She had just swung herself about in a wide arching circular blow that lifted three of the Stalkers off their feet, and possibly even killing one, when a searing, impossibly large fireball struck her in the center of the chest, sending her tumbling limply and forcing her to lose grip of her hammer.

Devona staggered to her feet, pulling her sword free, but before she could even drop into an attacking stance, another fireball struck her, sending stars through her eyes and painful burns across her face. She again struck the ground, this time face down, the gritty earth gouging painfully into her seared cheeks.

This time, the warrior's rise was much slower and labored, at least until a heavy Charr foot slammed her head back down onto the barren dirt, causing her to scream as it ground her face into the earth, cackling in delight.

When the foot was removed… Devona did not get up. The warrior had hoped to have at least have killed off one warband. Now she wasn't even sure if she had bought enough time for even Coran's party to reach the Wall.

A rough, furred hand wound into the warrior's hair, and yanked to her feet, as two arms slid under her shoulders, and two more along the back of her knees, lifting her parallel to the ground. Her legs were forced open, and Devona weakly protested, wondering what was happening… until she saw the red hot, smoldering tip of a thick wooden staff slowly moving towards her hips…

She squirmed, but each movement rifled burning agony through her body, limiting the effectiveness of her struggles. Torture then a horrific death… Devona's increasingly pain mudded mind understood that was the Charr way… and that it would all be over soon…


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

Mhenlo had once told Devona that each divine "touch" from a monk felt different… as the spirit of each healer or protector added a slightly different sensation to whatever prayer was being beseeched for.

That had not been Devona's experience, at least from the few times that someone other than Mhenlo had applied whatever boon litanies to her aid… until now, at any rate.

Being blessed by Mhenlo had always brought a serene sort of well-being to her spirit, a gentle soothing spiritual "hand" to massage away her wounds or shield her from further ones. This touch had that same soothing feeling… but a little more personal, more sensual, as if it was caressing rather than massaging.

The prayer manifested itself in the form of a protective shield that blocked the ember approaching her, and then Devona was abruptly released, falling onto a soft pillow of energy that escorted her gently to the ground.

As she propped herself up onto her elbows, Yuu burst into her vision, wrist blades slashing with violent swiftness, two silvery blurs that forced back the Charr Lord, right into Grazz's shoulder tackle.

The bodies of two Stalkers then crumpled at both sides of Devona, both pierced unerringly in their foreheads with one dual shot. The ground in front of her then burst into flame, forcing back the remainder of the Charr warband from the warrior.

The healing touch then fell onto her mind again, it's near scandalous sensations easing away the pain, and the tingle of her flesh being mended and repaired. For a brief moment, she literally blushed, somewhat ashamed that Mhenlo's healing was feeling the way it was, until she saw the monk in question appear in her line of sight, his attention clearly on the fight with the Charr Lord, and not on her.

Devona was then confused, for unless Mhenlo had somehow stumbled upon a method of double casting in the last ten some odd minutes, then he certainly wasn't responsible for the repairs being done to her. Then who could possibly be doing it? Idori? No… he had been a Warrior with Mesmer inclinations like his daughter, according to Coran…

Coran… 

Trained in service to Dwayna, and likely would have remained in service for the goddess's favor while learning under Sslani, under the impression he would have inherited the role of High Priest of Ascalon upon returning…

Damn him.

Sure enough, a pair of _real_ hands stroked her face gently, and the prince's features emerged into her vision. With a smile of relief, he nonetheless chided, "Don't ever do that again. I will not have you throwing your life away for any reason, understand?"

By that time, Devona was well enough to jump to her feet and respond with righteous indignity, "Coran, you are the sole heir to the crown of Ascalon! You are too important to the kingdom to risk!"

"And you are too important to me to risk." Coran answered quieter, but with equal firmness.

"As much as I love watching lovers' quarrels, may I like to remind you that we're about to have more company?" Yuu said with a slight snarl, "However, for the record, I am of Devona's mind. If you _ever_ dash off like a lovesick adolescent again, Coran, I will make sure you wish you had died here."

"You're assuming we'll survive here to begin with." Aiden remarked grimly, noting that two of the warbands had turned to charge the party's position, while the three others seemed focused on the wall.

"Yuu, Grazz, you're with me in the front. Cynn, Aidan, take the second line. Protect Prince Coran at all costs. Coran, help Mhenlo however you can."

"Don't forget me now." Idori said, stepping forward and taking one of Yuu's wrist blades before the assassin could react. "I may be getting older, but I'm certainly not helpless."

"Father! You are in no condition to fight!" Yuu protested.

"Fifty-five is not a condition, girl." Idori snapped angrily. "Now, focus on the task at hand. End of discussion."

The debate did indeed conclude, but not so much because of Idori's insistence as the charge of the first line of Charr. The first wave was easily enough dispatched, as most of the meager creatures normally were, but the Lord, this one of a Warrior's tendency, bowled over Devona and Idori with its bull rush, catching them somewhat unawares.

The blow had been softened by a spell of Coran's, judging from the tender, near seductive sensation hovering in her mind, and thus she was able to roll to her feet quickly, her Rinblade slashing in counterattack as Cynn and Aidan worked swiftly on the second warband as it approached, that was comprised of some front line warriors, healers, and a Ranger Lord.

For a moment, Devona spared a split second to wonder where Yuu and Idori had disappeared to, but as if in synchronization, they seemed to materialize from thin air behind the Warrior Lord, their weapons cutting into the calves of the Charr, drawing blood, an angry roar, and a hobbled series of strikes.

Even crippled, it took a nearly ludicrous number of blows to bring the beast to his knees then finally force it to fall in death. Grazz had switched off to a bow to assist Cynn and Aidan's efforts in felling the last remnants of the second warband, the Ranger Charr Lord collapsing, almost more resembling a pin cushion than a once living being with the number of arrows driven into its mailed flesh.

Devona felt it fortunate that the ranged attacks had been sufficient to fell the second warband, as Devona was loathe splitting the party in order to attack in melee, especially with three other such groups apparently still out there.

Yuu seemed to acknowledge that too. "Where did the other bands Grazz saw get off to?"

At that moment, the friendly outcast Charr in question pointed down towards the wall, and they did indeed notice a haggard mess of Charr rushing haphazardly with no sense of order towards the northwest, going by the party's position no more than fifty yards away without even stopping to analyze the humans.

"Wonder what that's about?" Cynn commented.

At that point, Grazz barked in alarm, and dashed off after his kin, leaving seven perplexed humans in his wake. Only Aidan noticed the reason for Grazz's abrupt departure, the ranger pointing down towards the direction of the wall, where a large regiment of Ascalonian soldiers was approaching at a swift march.

Devona stepped forward to the lead of the party, and squinted towards the approaching army. "The Ascalon Army has mobilized. They must have seen the Charr warbands as well." After a few moments, she added, "Is that Lord Darrin?"

Aidan took to her side, and agreed. "I do believe so. Curious that he would be leading troops into Charr territory."

For a moment, Devona grew slightly concerned. "Darrin knows I was sent to find Prince Coran. He didn't seem too pleased by it either. He would have learned that we crossed the Wall earlier, and if he suspected we were returning…"

Mhenlo's astonished query followed, "You aren't suggesting that Darrin would seek to kill Coran?"

"I don't want to think so… but Darrin was suspected of having Royalist loyalties before the searing, and he would be in a good position if all of Adelbern's children were to have fallen. Yuu, Idori… if you could keep him hidden for the moment…"

"No." Coran asserted. "I am not running from my obligations, nor am I going to hide in fear of those that might envy my position."

Devona sighed in dismay. Coran had always been cautious and safe when they were younger, and had not seemed to have inherited the brash and near irresponsible courage of his older brother and father in King Adelbern's earlier years. Why did have to start manifesting now?

"Fret not, my dear Devona." Coran said softly, not exactly a whisper, but clearly not meant for too many ears. "I have no intention of dying today. If Darrin's intent proves to be malicious, I have contingencies prepared."

By that point, the regiment was in clear sight, and picked up their pace as Lord Darrin ordered them to do so, as if he was in a rush to confirm what his eyes were seeing.

"Devona! I had heard you crossed into Charr territory, and when I saw the Charr approaching, I thought you might be related somehow. Then we start getting unidentified humans literally _appearing_ outside the wall, claiming to be from the Hylan Colony. I thought they were ghosts at first!"

"Let me assure you they are not ghosts, Darrin." Coran interjected. "They are indeed survivors of Hylan… where I myself have been the last two years."

At that moment, Darrin turned his attention to the prince, as if he hadn't even realized the monarch was there. The Lord's eyes bulged in recognition, and he stammered, "Is this… that can't be! Is this some sort of trick?"

"No trick, my lord." Devona replied. "As you have somewhat guessed, my party has been on a long trek across the length of this kingdom and beyond. I can promise you with the utmost certainty that this man is indeed Coran, Aldebern's son."

"I can second the assertion, my lord." Mhenlo reinforced. "Although no doubt you and the other nobles will wish to confirm it for yourselves…"

Darrin shook his head. "I certainly don't. I know the face, even though it has aged. He has his father's eyes and his mother's elegance. I'm sure some of the newer lords will want to prove it to themselves, but to me there's no doubt, and now I know what I figured was Barradin's damn fool search was anything but damned and anything but foolish. I apologize for passing you over at first, your highness, as you may have guessed, I didn't even figure your continued life was even a possibility."

"My father was never too fond of pomp and properness, Darrin, a tendency I share. You did not insult me by ignoring my presence or addressing someone else before me. I trust you have given sanctuary to the refugees?"

Darrin nervously gulped, "Not as of yet. I didn't even know who they were, after all. Then they started getting angry and restless, and there was no way I was going to let this increasingly large number through in that case."

Coran frowned disapprovingly, but seemed to accept the explanation. "Then let us return to the Wall as quickly as possible, and escort the Hylan people across. I'm afraid their agitation is my fault. I had promised them a relatively painless entry into Ascalon, but as you can see, I was unexpectedly delayed in giving proper word to you and your men. Besides, the longer we all are on this side of the Wall, the greater the perils become."


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

Why couldn't Coran have just let her die? Anything had to be better than what she knew was coming…

It had taken some time before Coran was willing to return to Rin, having wanted to make sure that the Hylan refugees were at least in some form of reasonable order, but acknowledged that before he could really assist them in settling, he needed to go through the necessary coronation that would allow him to succeed his father… which meant he needed to have his identity confirmed by the Lord's Conclave.

Of course, that seemed to Devona like it would be a painless affair. Both Lord Darrin and Duke Barradin, two of the most prominent nobles of the kingdom, had needed little convincing as to the truth that Coran was precisely who he claimed to be. Thus, Devona couldn't imagine any more than a few questions from the nobles newer to their posts in order to assuage their concerns that the prince before them wasn't merely some imposter.

So, it was clear that the Lord's Conclave wanted to sort out other business while they were all assembled, and the new King would be present. She knew this because she was also invited to attend the meeting… and she knew exactly why.

"Are you ready?" Coran asked as he joined her at the door that opened into the temporary Hall for the Conclave, located within the manor of what once belonged to the Duke of South Rin, a vacant line due to the Searing, and thus seized for use by the Lords.

"You already know my feelings on the matter." Devona grumped, picking distastefully at the pale blue silk dress she was wearing then stabbing in annoyance at the bun her hair had been tied up in. First opportunity she had, it was getting cut again, that way there wouldn't be enough hair for some attendant to maul.

"Yes, I do… which is why it confounds me that you keep saying things to the contrary." Coran remarked.

"Why won't you just take my words for face value?"

His fingers brushed across the joint between her neck and right shoulder, exposed from the relatively low cut collar of her dress. His near tickling touch caused her to shudder reflexively, and involuntarily release a throaty, alluring gasp. She blushed furiously; damn him for remembering that…

"That's why." The prince remarked triumphantly. "Now, I suggest you control yourself before the Lords wonder what we were doing out here."

"I hate you." Devona scowled as she fought back the deep red flush painfully visible along her neck and cheeks. "No, I hate myself. Actually, I hate both of us."

"Now that's the Devona I know." Coran laughed, pushing open the door, and motioning in a very gentlemanly manner for her to enter first. Reluctantly, she took several nervous steps forward, partially because she really didn't want to go in, and partially because her pointed high-heeled shoes were a pain in her rear to walk in.

The great hall of the manor was eerily dark… not surprising considering that it was nearing sunset, and there weren't many torch brackets available for illumination. It made Devona feel even more certain she was walking into an already certain ambush.

She felt Coran's hand on her hip, gently escorting her to the vacant seat to the left of the head of the table. She could feel the eyes of the Conclave on her, most likely with disdain.

"Now this simply won't do." Coran said cheerily, "If this is going to be my royal residence, I must have better lighting. Devona, dear, remind me to have some wiring run through this manor when I have the chance."

"Wiring?" Barradin asked, eyes blinking in confusion, "What manner of… thing… is that?"

"Something that we have little time to get into, I'm afraid." The prince answered, "We have much business to discuss, and likely your fellows have concerns to allay before we can attend to them."

"I see no need for it." Barradin said with a grunt. "The years have been kind to you, your highness. Anyone who had met you before could easily confirm your identity."

"Well, the memory can dull in time, and the eyes can fade." A firm, nasally voice from the rear of the rectangular table cut in. "It never hurts to be certain when confirming the identity of a man who had not been before common sight for over five years."

"I do apologize, but it appears that more than the Conclave's memory needs jostling." Coran said. "You are…?"

"Lord Evan, formerly of Ashford." The nasally tone said, "To start us off, why don't you tell us about your childhood in Drascir?"

A trick question, Devona noted, and the prince's scoff didn't disappoint. "I was only five years old when the royal family abandoned the old capitol. I'm afraid I have little memory of the place."

"Then may I query, your highness?" Another questioner, this time a graveled, gruff voice asked, this time from midway down the right side of the table.

"Certainly…"

"Lord Nassus of Kree." The gravelly voice replied. "Maybe you could tell us about your family… like your mother, perhaps?"

Another trick question, as she also noticed Coran's hand ball into a fist. Time had apparently not dulled that wound.

"Even an imposter would know that my mother died moments after my birth." Coran growled. "But what such a fraud might not be able to tell you was how my father, to the day we parted company, blamed himself for insisting she travel to Rin so close to my impending arrival, and the inconsolable guilt he carried for years thinking that the journey had somehow made her incapable of delivering me properly."

He slowly stood, his eyes narrow despite the low light of the hall, his fists violently propping himself as he leaned over the table, boring angrily at the Lord who had dared invoke his mother's memory. "An imposter probably wouldn't be able to tell you the fury my older brother held, and how, in his childish refusal to accept loss, held me responsible for the queen's death. How he would lock me in the cellar when I was four, saying there were Shadows of the dead that would eat me if I cried or called for help. Or that it took him until my thirteenth birthday before he finally stopped holding me in open contempt."

He whipped his head away, towards the slightly red stained glass windows of the west wall. "Nor could such a person tell you how agonizing it was to see the flat portrait of a woman I have no memory of, staring so hard at every painting of her for years, trying to fall in love with an image made of canvas and oil, a woman who, if the stories are to be believed, never even got the chance to hold me before she passed away."

Finally, he slumped back down into his chair, momentarily looking like the lost little boy of his childhood. Devona gently rubbed his arm, and for a moment, was almost willing to recant… so close to accepting all the burdens and fears if it would just put a smile on the man's face next to her.

But the urge faded as Coran's composure asserted itself, and she found the return of the surprisingly intimidating man of the present. "Any more inane questions then; or can we get to the business that is supposedly so important?"

There was silence for a minute that felt more like an hour before another voice, mellow, soft, and unimposing was able to slip in as if he shouted. "Well, I suppose we can start by assembling your court, your highness."

"I see." Coran noted, "I also see that you have succeeded your father as well, Maran. I trust Khylo is in good hands."

Duke Maran smiled with a twinkle in his eye. "That is my hope. Considering all the effort that has gone into preserving it during the Guild Wars and beyond, failure wouldn't be much of an option."

Devona knew that all to well. It was in Kyhlo that her father had fallen, and perhaps that would explain her immediate dislike for the man who was now its duke.

"At any rate… back to the issues of your court…" Lord Darrin interjected, "I would like to address the issue of your 'hands'… most notably the left. I gathered that your betrothed has wanted to break the bond between you." He turned a keen eye towards Devona, who really wanted nothing more than to disappear into her chair.

"In a moment of self-sacrificing stupidity, she may have said something to that effect." Coran said dismissively. "The issue is momentarily tabled."

"Well, there is a problem… Ascalon needs a queen. The left hand hasn't been empty since the time of King Doric, and with the perilous state of the current kingdom, every contingency needs to be covered." Darrin continued, as if annoyed by Coran's passive answer. "My first grand-daughter, Karin, has come of age. I ask that you at least consider…"

Duke Maran twiddled his thumbs nervously. "Lord Darrin, I do believe that I…"

Barradin laughed, "Darrin, have you truly become so old that you've forgotten your own arrangements?"

"Nothing had been finalized between Maran and myself." Darrin replied crossly.

The table then erupted into bickering, which escalated into shouting and screaming. Coran looked over at Devona, and gestured to the arguing nobles. "See… this was what I was trying to avoid." Coran said with a bemused grin, before slamming his fists repeatedly on the table to get the Conclave's attention.

"During your… discussion… I have come to a bit of a realization." The angered Coran returned, his ability to shift moods startling Devona. "Last I checked, I believe the decision as to who shall be my 'hands' was mine. When I feel the need for your assistance in this task, I will be sure to let you all know. Are we clear on this?"

The nobles murmured apologies and agreement before taking their seats much like chastised children. Devona found herself quite impressed by Coran's ability to command the table… and had been worried his more passive nature would allow him to be bullied. She should have known better… even if he didn't often show it, he was King Adelbern's son.

"Now that this nonsense of my 'left hand' is out of the way, I will acknowledge that I need to make a decision as to my 'right' quickly. Duke Barradin, you served as my father's 'right hand' honorably and dutifully for many years. I hope you are not insulted if I've deemed that you need not be burdened by that responsibility again."

"It put me in an unwelcome situation sometimes. While your father refused to buckle under Royalist dogma, my position at times created more rumor and conspiracy than the kingdom probably needed." Barradin answered candidly.

"My father ruled through his strength of arms. That's fine, I suppose, but more than a good sword arm will be needed in order to restore Ascalon as close to its former glory as we can as quickly as we can." Coran began, and then his next move surprised even Devona. "Darrin, your revival and maintenance of King's Watch County did not go unnoticed by my father. That ingenuity and sound thinking are what is going to be needed if my plans are to reach fruition. Would you do me the honor of taking place as my 'right hand'?"

Darrin looked like had been handed an expensive, unexpected gift. Of course, he was able to regain his composure more than quickly enough to say, "I would be one that's honored, your highness. I myself have ideas as to revive this battered land, but I am infinitely curious as to any ideas you have…"

Coran's knowing swiftly became infectious. It appeared that Adelbern had passed on a little bit of his inexplicable charisma to his son as well. "The plans I have could never be addressed in one sitting… but allow me to at least scratch the surface…"


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

"Your highness… you can't be serious!" Three nobles said almost simultaneously.

"I'm perfectly serious." Coran answered.

Even Devona found herself wondering if her friend had completely lost his mind, and had cleverly hidden it until now.

"But to reinstate the guilds… clearly you don't remember just the evils that were spawned…" One of them added as well as he could considering that it looked like his lower jaw had been dislocated.

Coran's left eyebrow twitched upward. "I'd wager I've _forgotten_ more about the history of this kingdom, and indeed all of Tyria, than you will ever _know_, Lord Travis. Let me assure you I am more than knowledged as to the guild eras of this land… the evils you speak of were more the result of a weak and corrupt monarchy and a small number of guild leaders that took advantage of that fact than a flaw of the system as a whole."

"But…"

"The reason I wish to reopen Ascalon for the guilds is two-fold. First, I am growing concerned of Cantha, far to the south. They've been uninterested to use the power they have up to now, but I'd rather not count on that attitude continuing. Guilds have been accepting their lands and strengthening their influence for the last twenty years. Kryta and Ascalon are still in the early stages of recovering, and we might eventually make easy pickings if they wish to expand their empire. I have knowledge that could stem that tide if it were to ever roll in… but not the manpower. We simply _must_ reinforce our numbers, especially as these lands become more tempting to those with power."

He waited to see if anyone had any protest to the obvious, then continued. "Secondly, the economy of Ascalon is ravaged. It's near impossible to stimulate the trade needed to revive this land when we have nothing of value to trade. Allowing the guilds to return will inject an instant boost of capital and activity."

Lord Darrin sighed in relief, "Thank you, your highness. At least I am not the only one that sees sense in this room."

"But how will we ensure the problems of the past will not happen again?" Duke Maran queried. Devona was amazed his nearly mousy voice reached her ears.

"Well, I could say to trust my judgment, but that's hardly a compelling argument, is it?" Coran said with a hint of self-depreciation, just enough to send a disarming chuckle through the nobles. "Fortunately, I have a plan as to that. In the old days, the previous line granted ranks of nobility to whomever they desired, usually in thanks for gifts, money, or whatever favors the guilds provided. While seamless, the opportunity for abuse was far too great. So, I propose something called bureaucracy."

Barradin blinked twice, "Bless you."

Coran laughed so loudly that it startled Devona. "I am sorry to laugh at you… it's just that was my exact response the first time I heard it." Coran apologized. "What bureaucracy entails are several levels that act on each other, countering or complimenting each other depending on how you see it. It can be cumbersome and time consuming, but it minimizes mistakes by spreading the responsibility among several people as opposed to only one."

He turned to Devona, and said, "May you hand me that parchment, quill, and inkwell next to you, dear?"

Devona shyly slid the articles over before hastily shoving her hand into her lap. He gratefully accepted the articles, but his first attempt at writing upon the parchment apparently did not meet his standards, as he frowned, sighed, then commented, "First order of business once I leave this meeting will be to teach some people how to make paper and ink pens. These barbaric implements simply will not do for the long term."

The nobles started looking at each other nervously, as if wondering just what Coran knew that they didn't. Devona smirked, as she had some idea that the gulf of knowledge was likely immensely vast. Soon, more people were becoming interested in just what the new king was scribbling, and those that could, started to lean forward in an attempt to glance at what was being written.

It took a couple minutes, but Coran finally handed the finished work to his right towards Lord Darrin. "Please take a look at it and pass it down the table. It might help explain what I'm about to say."

"In this case, bureaucracy will play out like this…" Coran said, "The first step will be similar to the first and only step of the past. I will appoint someone for a noble or position. When the conclave next meets, they will take a 'vote' on the nomination at hand. If a majority is reached, the decision is then passed on to the elders of the region in question. For example, if I am nominating another duke for the Kree region, and it passes the conclave, the elders of Kree would place their vote on it. If a majority is reached there, the lord or duke will then be allowed to take that post."

"That could take months!" A surprised exclamation from the back of the table erupted.

"Indeed. As I said, it is time consuming, but the chances that a corrupt guild leader, or indeed anyone, would be able to fool or bribe myself, and a majority of two separate groups is nil."

"What then happens if either we or the elders refuse the nomination?" Maran asked.

"As you'll see when the parchment gets to you, there are conditions to that as well." Coran answered. "If the Conclave rejects my nomination, the Elders as well as the nobles of the surrounding counties can petition myself to overturn the rejection… but only if the 'nay' vote in the conclave was less than sixty percent of the total, and only if the elders and neighboring nobles are in unanimous agreement. If the Elders reject a nomination that the conclave approves, it goes back to the conclave for one final vote… but if the approval isn't more than three-quarters in that second vote, the nomination dies."

Duke Barradin meanwhile had the look of a man who had just been casually introduced to one of the old gods. In other words, he was visibly boggling. Devona was fairly certain no parchment was going to clarify matters any time soon. "This is an awful lot to absorb, I fear…"

"I will have the royal scribes working on putting the nuances to parchment for you to analyze at your leisure, as well as other situations in which the bureaucracy will be put into play." Coran assured. "Another thing I'll need to establish is reproduction methods… accuracy will be vital in our documents due to the sheer number of stipulations and conditions that inevitably apply in this sort of decision-making." He sighed forlornly, "So much to do, and so little time to do it in… I fear I won't be getting much sleep the next few days."

He then snapped his fingers, and said, "Unless… Devona, if I excuse you from the remainder of this meeting, would you pass along word to the royal messengers to have the printers of Hylan report to Rin as soon as possible? They should be able to handle many of these minor technical issues, like reproducing documents and papermaking while I focus on bigger concerns."

Devona nodded, forcing herself not to appear as eager to get out of the room as she really was.

"Well then, why don't you get to it, and the rest of us can continue to bore ourselves until we've decided enough for the evening?"

* * *

As if Dwayna had decided to bless the following day, the skies above King's Watch were clear for the first time in months. There wasn't even any smoke from the north to be seen, as if even the Charr were content to step back and let the people of Ascalon enjoy the day. 

Devona however, was of a mixed mind. On one hand, she was watching a friend since childhood be crowned King of Ascalon, a truly remarkable event. On the other, she was standing just behind him as the ceremony took place… the typical place for a monarch's betrothed. It was so disconcerting to be standing in front of what must have been thousands of people, even if their attention wasn't even remotely on her. It merely reinforced her opinion that she'd fall to pieces if put in a situation where she had to make decisions with such attention on her.

"Rise King Coran of Ascalon, and address your people." The High Priest declared, prompting the assembly to burst into cheers until Coran could gesture for them to quiet.

"I apologize, as I do not necessarily have my father's strength of voice to carry over such a din. I also apologize that I do not have my father's strength of arms to lead you into battle if such a regrettable time occurs. But what I do possess is the knowledge and expertise to do what my father could not. I know how to enrich the fields… I know how to purify the waters. I know how to turn this brown land green once again."

He was cut off by the ecstatic cheers once again, and it took nearly three minutes to calm the populous for him to continue. "But it will take time, and it will take work. The window if we hope to see some results by next spring is small, so we will also need to work quickly. To that end, each county will have several Officers of Restoration. They will provide you with instructions as to what each of you will have to do. I need you to have faith and perseverance. It will be difficult; to say anything less would be a lie. But I have faith in you. We all have survived the long odds to get to this point; I hold no doubts that we will continue to do so."

There was silence now, for at that moment, the first wisps of acrid black smoke began to float over the Great Northern Wall far in the distance… a not so subtle reminder of the threat beyond it.

Devona had rarely seen Coran angry, much less the loathing anger on his face as he stared purposefully to the north. "Of course, one cannot forget the all too real evil of the Charr, and I am certain my monk's upbringing does not reassure you in the face of this evil as it would if I were my father or my brother. But fear not greatly… for I also have knowledge that will lead to retribution far overdue."

He turned away from the smoke, and with a steely glare said, "I cannot promise that Ascalon will be all it once was. That may be impossible. But I will promise that if the Charr dare challenge this land again, they will flee in terror and defeat as if Balthazar himself had taken to their heels."

He bowed to signal his address had finished, and through the joyous eruption below the plateau, Devona had to close the distance to hear what Barradin and Coran had started to discuss.

"You speak well, but your actions lead me wonder if you understand what you say." The Duke said, appointed by Coran as the Grand Warmaster days prior as Coran finished declaring his court. "I understand you gave an order to begin tearing down the trebuchets that stood atop the Wall."

"That's right. I did." Coran answered.

"Then how do you intend…"

"The trebuchets were in the way, Barradin. I needed that space for something far more powerful."

Barradin tried to wrap his mind around the concept of something more powerful than the devastating siege weapons that had normally stood in defense of Ascalon. To be honest, Devona was having a hard time imagining it herself. But she also had no doubt that vast amounts of currently unspoken knowledge resided in the new King's head… and that he wouldn't have made such a statement unless he was absolutely positive he was speaking true.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Ascalon's "winter" season passed… not that it made much difference since the searing. All it meant was that the few rains and the air were colder than normal. During that time, the people were wary and discontent. For reasons unexplained, the people must have thought that Coran's promises would be realized quickly, despite repeated assertions to the contrary by the Restoration Officers as well as Coran himself.

Despite this initial ill response, the new king remained upbeat. "I know what I'm doing. By the spring, the rest of you will know as well." He would often say. Perhaps it was that seemingly unerring confidence that maintained order among the conclave, and thusly among the people of Ascalon.

That tenuous order remained even as the specter of the guilds of Tyria slowly began to return. Most of them were smaller rosters, likely drawn to the lesser restriction and cheaper costs of the ravaged land of Ascalon. Nonetheless, they started doing as Coran suspected they would, investing and working to improve the lands purchased and/or granted to them, and in proxy, improving the lands and lives of those around them.

Then, as "spring" arrived, the hints of what Coran promised began to arrive, and it seemed to sweep the ill thoughts from the land like a strong, fresh breeze through a stagnant room.

The first tufts of thin, sickly grass began to rise from the seemingly barren surface. It was desert grass, purchased from Canthan traders hired to acquire large bushels of the plant. As such, it wasn't useful for much, but it was grass, something green, something long missing from the land. "And as the waters begin to purify thanks to the algae I had planted at the river and lake mouths, the desert grasses will die out, and the remnants of that can be used as food for the lush greenery that we are much more familiar with." Coran explained. "These grasses absorb the salts and sulfites that the Charr used to sterilize the land and convert them into nitrates… a remarkably hardy and useful plant, I must say."

While Devona, and in fact, much of anyone who listened to his explanations, didn't understand much of the cycles that the king described, they did understand the gist of it. "We have the beginnings of what will become what we remember. This is only the first step, but let this first success be a buoying thought of what is yet to come."

Meanwhile, the waters that Coran often personally measured and analyze were showing great signs of improvement as well. "This algae grows around the coral reefs of the Ring of Fire. They feast on and break down sulfuric impurities very similar to the tar that polluted the waterways. I'd wager within two more years, the water will be drinkable." Coran had also said after one such analysis.

Personally, Devona thought it almost looked well enough to drink as it was. Granted, there was a slight dull grey color to it, but she had seen, and even drank, worse. When she said as much, Coran frowned at her like she was a little girl that had done something naughty. "Well, I suppose in an emergency… you could drink this water... but I wouldn't recommend making a daily practice of it. I can assure you your health would suffer for it."

For Devona, however, she couldn't spend much energy marveling at the slow but steady recovery of her homeland… she was too busy ducking the queries and questions of her engagement, queries that became louder and more frequent as the land recovered, as the "reason" given for holding off on her wedding was inexorably tied into the restoration.

Coran himself had not pressured her, although he would occasionally drop options for her to mull over… but for all intents and purposes, they were at an impasse. Coran would not accept anything that did not lead to their wedding, and Devona flatly rejected anything that would lead to even the possibility of her becoming queen. And since the Lord's Conclave had gotten it into their head that marriage and monarchy needed to be linked, and anything short of that would likely lead to tension between the crown and the nobility that Coran understandably wanted to avoid.

One such… negotiation… had just ended in fact, as Devona left the royal estate, and towards the center square of Rin.

"Most men would have jumped all over the opportunity to have a mistress with no strings attached." Devona grumbled to herself as she glanced over the drills of the new recruits to the Ascalon Army. Yes, she had thrown out such an offer… internally glad that he had found the idea absolutely reprehensible.

She hadn't been entirely serious, but at that point she had been willing to do almost anything to end the occasional back and forth between her and her betrothed. Deep down she knew that such an arrangement would not have ended well… especially if Coran were to have found a more suitable queen at some point down the line. Hell, the jealousy would have probably come to head before the wedding took place at all.

Devona cursed her weakness that didn't seem to allow her to officially break the bonding. She knew it was eventually going to happen… there was no other conclusion in her mind… but at the same time, perhaps she was clinging to the hope that an option they both found suitable would emerge. She didn't even deny it anymore to herself or to those she considered friends. She was in love… and try as she might, falling out of love was proving to be a difficult process.

She had tried… Dwayna save her, had she tried. Cynn had laughed at her about the attempt. The elementalist had even demonstrated why it was a futile process; listing what she felt were Coran's faults, only to listen as Devona vigorous defended such faults as either understandable… or not even faults at all.

When she had been born, her father named her after an old language word, _Devonate_, which directly translated into the modern Tyrian, _Devoted_. Who would have thought Mordakai was part seer?

"Devona!" Cynn's voice shouted shrilly, causing the warrior to cringe, then partially turn in the direction of the voice. The elementalist was not even six strides away, closing the remaining distance quickly. "I've been calling you for the past minute." She grumped, "You're lucky I wasn't a Charr or something."

"Had you been a Charr, you would have had my blade in your throat after roaring like that." Devona answered crossly, "I'm of half a mind to do it anyway."

At this point, Cynn had gotten used to Devona's idle threats, brushing it aside with ease. Clearly, the warrior had been thinking about the King, and Cynn had learned not to stick her nose into that mess unless allowed in.

"Anyway… King Coran told me to catch you up, and remind you that we're leaving for Thunderhead Keep tonight, and to make sure you have everything packed you are planning to take along.

Devona sighed. The Tyrian Summit was in five days, held at the seat of the Deldrimor nation, and hosted by King Ironhammer, as it was the most convenient central location between the three kingdoms that would be attending; Ascalon, Deldrimor, and Kryta. Of course, the fact that neither Rin nor Lion's Arch was in all that great of a condition to host much of anything probably played more of a factor.

Devona and her comrades had signed on to the diplomatic mission, due to officially being part of Coran's personal protection detail. Of course, Devona conveniently ignored the fact that the detail did not officially include her… being that she was actually assigned as one of those being _protected_.

"I didn't need the reminder, but thanks anyway." Devona replied. As it was, she was all packed with room to spare already… anticipating buying a new set of armor from the expert craftsmen of Marhan's Grotto just south of Thunderhead Keep.

Mhenlo appeared in the conversation, his voice interjecting into the moment's silence. "Devona, if I may be so bold to borrow Cynn for a few minutes?"

The warrior waved her hand in silent and welcome permission, as it gave her time to grump to herself once more. Cynn was mildly torn. She had hoped to take the opportunity to lean on Devona once more about the king, but acknowledged there was a discussion long overdue that she had been avoiding for months with the monk.

And it didn't appear like he was going to wait for Cynn to make up her mind either, taking her by the wrist and giving a somewhat forceful tug in the exact opposite direction Devona was stomping off to. Normally, any such attempt to make her do anything would have prompted a violent repraisal… but she was feeling guilty enough about not apologizing for her actions north of the wall months prior to abate her normally vitriolic temper.

"There, now that we're out of earshot…" Mhenlo said, peering over Cynn's shoulder towards the still retreating warrior.

"Mhenlo, I'm…"

"Yes, I know. You're sorry. You've been trying to force it out since the coronation." The monk said dismissively, waving his hands as if pretending to wash his hands of the past issue. "I just need to say this to you before I lose the nerve."

Cynn blinked curiously. While Mhenlo was often quiet, he had never struck her as one who had a hard time saying what was on his mind, at least not recently.

"As for what happened north of the wall, I was unnecessarily over the line as well. You were trying to help, if in a terribly inappropriate way. It wasn't your fault I got jealous of that… at any rate, that's not what I wanted to talk about."

"Okay…"

"Last night, Coran told me that the High Priest of Ascalon was resigning from his post in order to devote his time towards his own pursuit of self purity." The monk began, rubbing his hands nervously. "He offered the position to me."

"That's wonderful!" Cynn shouted in glee, instinctively giving the monk an enthusiastic hug.

"Wonderful, is it?" Mhenlo answered. "My experience in managing has been limited to the year I spent as Acting Priest at Ashford Abbey before the Searing. How could anyone assume I'm even remotely ready for such a position? I'd be the youngest High Priest ever!"

"Mhenlo… you know the divine scriptures inside and out. Your faith cannot possibly be called into question either. I know for a fact that both gods you claim fealty to favor you a great deal. Besides, when is the High Priest stepping down?"

"In two years." Mhenlo answered.

"Well then, Coran's obviously not just throwing you to the wolves now is he? You think you can't learn to do something in two years' time?"

"But… what if…"

Cynn sighed, "You really need to stop worrying about what might happen; most of it is imagined anyway. You will do great given time to learn what you need to do. If not, I'll be sure to be there to slap you silly."

"You always know just what to say, don't you?" Mhenlo queried wryly.

Cynn dropped her hands on his shoulders, and gave him a little shake. "If you believed in yourself as much as I do, only the gods could know just how much you could accomplish. Pride and confidence are not the same thing… feel free to take a healthy share of the latter."

"Sometimes I do miss that distinction it seems."

"Now, if your self-esteem crisis is over, I suppose I should finish up my packing for our trip…"

"While we will be bringing a couple dolyak carriages, do remember there is limited space." Mhenlo said warningly.

"Monk, I went traveling with you three for how long? Let me assure you that I am well versed at traveling light." Then with a teasing wink, she added, "I'll only bring four garment bags… promise."


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

"You know, I've only been to the Shiverpeaks once?" Coran said, his voice slightly awestruck. "It really is a beautiful and majestic place… and here I thought my childhood memory gave it more than it's due."

"Yeah… the majesty rather dies away when you're being ambushed by a legion of Stone Summit." Cynn huffed, shivering either through memory, the cold, or perhaps a little of both.

"Truly, such a racist and bigoted group, aren't they?" The young king remarked. "I'd find it amusing if they weren't so violent, but such is the course of the mind when one allows hatred and intolerance to govern one's thought, words, and actions."

"You said you knew much of Tyria's history…" Devona asked, "What led to such animosity? The Dwarves to a soul don't seem to want to discuss it."

"Then it's probably not my place to discuss it, either." Coran chided. "It actually is a source of shame for the Deldrimor, and they'd rather not have that shame become public knowledge. A momentary failing of their honor that they feel reflects poorly on all of them."

He paused bemusedly, then scratched his forehead, "But since I've already said all that, I suppose there is no harm to tell the rest of the story. The Stone Summitt emerged during the Guild Wars, as most of the ills of this continent seem to. Guilds from Kryta and Ascalon began accusing Deldrimor of allowing raiding guilds to disguise themselves as Dwarven merchant caravans."

"Of course, King Jalis Ironhammer denied the allegations, firstly because he had stated several times before that he wanted nothing to do with the Guild Wars, and secondly because such underhanded schemes ran contrary to the general dwarven code of honor."

"Well, as it turned out, King Ironhammer found out that such allegations were true. One of Jalis's generals, a Dagnar Stonepate, not only was helping to disguise such raiding parties in exchange for ridiculous sums of money, he was also even selling his soldiers to _assist_ in such attacks."

"King Ironhammer's response was swift and decisive, mobilizing nearly his entire force to crush Dagnar and his renegade army. At about that same time, Dagnar had been promised by his human partners assistance in case this very assault came to pass. Sslani suspects that these same guilds promised to help Dagnar in a coup of Deldimor as well, but in my mind, that's largely irrelevant, as the human aid never came to begin with."

Coran paused to admire the scenery outside the carriage, before finishing, "Thus, the hatred of both humans and dwarves was born when Dagnar and the remnants of his army survived the attack. It wasn't much for Stonepate to draw in more numbers, as many dwarves were angered by the humans due to the Guild Wars themselves, and with that, the Stone Summit was born and began to flourish. For the Dwarves of Deldrimor, they find Dagnar's actions to reflect heinously on dwarven kind as a whole, as per their concept of 'collective honor' among their kind."

"How did you learn all this stuff in only five years?" Devona asked in amazement.

"Firstly, you'd be amazed how much you can learn when you do nothing _but_ learning for such a period of time." He replied candidly, "Secondly, the Forgotten Academy utilized means of quantum manipulation that not even I understand at more than an elementary level that made the passing of time itself somewhat arbitrary."

Yuu sighed, and said disparagingly, "There you go again, Coran. In other words, we can't ever possibly hope to understand, so don't bother to try and don't lose any sleep over the issue. It is entirely beyond any of us mere mortals."

"I was trying not to sound condescending, my friend." Coran chastised gently.

"I don't see why you keep bothering with how other people view you. It's such a tiring and pointless endeavor." The assassin huffed unrepentantly.

"Well, since perception is often half of a king's effectiveness, if not more, I am rather bound to appear good and proper and sound in all things in order to actually get anything of consequence done. It is a necessary evil, to be sure."

Yuu's dismissive grunt spoke volumes as to how she felt about that.

At that point, the rough pass of the Southern Shiverpeaks began to smooth into the well-maintained main road leading up to Thunderhead Keep. "I honestly wonder how you fellows managed to hoof this journey, and indeed along the width and breath of this continent."

Devona actually had to agree. She felt… stiff and sore. "Perhaps walking about made the trip more bearable… or more likely than not, our minds were on other things than the travel. At any rate, one thing that isn't different is that I am grateful to Dwayna we have reached our destination… and without any Stone Summit interference."

Those sentiments were roundly seconded.

Cynn smirked, then said, "You know, Coran… your brother promised us a round of Dwarven Ale when we came to the Shiverpeaks with him."

Aidan's eyes gleamed slightly, "Yes, and while unfortunate circumstances prevented him from making good on his promise, I do believe the burden now falls on you."

The young king smiled in amusement, and said, "I suppose I must, shouldn't I? It is good form, after all."

Yuu then interjected, her voice unusually teasing, "I suppose your good friend who has been your shielding hand for two years isn't worthy of such reward then?"

"That is separate debt, but one that can be partially paid as well." Coran laughed. "I suspect King Ironhammer will know of several wonderful establishments in which to sample his kind's unique brews."

"Ah, King Coran, you are early!" King Jalis Ironhammer declared as the caravan started to disembark, "A more pleasant surprise there is not!"

"Well, I would be concerned that you are so easy to please, but I suspect you've survived long enough for my worries to be unfounded." Coran answered, smiling brightly.

"Allow me to extend condolences on the deaths of your brother and father. Your father's valiance was legendary, and I saw your brother's courage and honor first hand."

"They did honor to my family name, as your brother did yours. The Deldrimor are all greater in the eyes of the gods due to him."

"Gracious of you to say, but I suspect your friends would rather we continue our banter out of the cold." Ironhammer gestured towards the central fort overlooking the city outside of the keep. "Fortunately, chambers were just prepared for all of you… and once Queen Salma and her entourage arrive, the summit can start."

"When are they due?" Devona queried.

"Not for another day at least."

"Then, may I be momentarily excused. I wish to visit Marhan's Grotto and have some new armor crafted for me."

King Ironhammer nodded. "Better craftsmen I do not know, but be wary, for they ask a king's ransom."

* * *

"Fifteen platinum? Are you insane?" Devona howled.

"For the hauberk." Karl, the armorer, replied gruffly, his arms crossed defiantly.

"For _one_ piece? Fifteen platinum? I can find armor just as good at Droknar's."

"If you want generic crap, then you're welcome to go there." Karl snapped back, his tone suggesting his price was not negotiable. "My armors are beautiful as well as functional and unique with greater detail and dedication."

"For that price, it should open a portal directly to the Hall of Heroes." Devona fumed.

"That's my price, take it or leave it."

Coran's voice cut in, "When Jalis mentioned a king's ransom he truly was not kidding, was he?"

"It's outrageous. I'll just go to Droknar's."

"You'd miss the opening of the summit, plus I do feel you deserve something truly special. Fear not, I can cover the purchase."

"I could not ask such a thing of you." Devona declined.

"Why not? Does the bondmate of the King of Ascalon not deserve a few perks?"

Devona flushed, worried that the eyes of the denizens of the Grotto were starting to turn their way. Of course, she held such attention from the moment her argument with the crafter began… but she hadn't been self-conscious at that point.

"We've been over this, your highness…" Devona whispered meekly, "Please let's not make a scene."

Coran looked momentarily hurt, but said, "Then fine, allow me to get this for you as a friend. Or are we no longer friends either?"

That struck a nerve, and at that point, Devona knew she couldn't refuse. Grenth take him, why did he have to make things so damned complicated?

"Fine… as a friend."

Coran grinned as if we had won a small victory. "Have a messenger speak with King Ironhammer, and he'll arrange for a release of the coffers, dear sir." He said to Karl. "Now, when can we expect the finished product?"

Karl snorted. "I am prompt and quick as well as precise and flawless in my craft. If your 'friend' wants a full set, I will have it ready to her specifications by the next morning."

"That will be more than acceptable. Have your messenger send the product as he speaks to King Ironhammer." Coran said.

"Will do, King Coran." Karl replied, suddenly cheery. "Oh, and by the way, missy, I recommend you give your 'friend' a night he will never forget for this gift."

Devona's eyes bulged, and for a moment, she was about to charge the dwarf in indignant fury, but Coran's hands on her shoulders calmed her enough to decompress. Still, she made her displeasure clear with her heavy, angered steps on the icy floor of the grotto as she was escorted out…


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Devona was trying to keep rapt fascination on the armor that had been crafted for her, while Coran and King Ironhammer commented on it. They were correct, it was masterfully done, and kept much of the design of her original suit, including the crest of her father's guild, Ascalon's Chosen, in the center of the breastplate, nestled in the ample cleavage created by the bust of the armor.

The problem, which both monarchs had alluded to in their comments, was that Karl the Armorer was a pervert. He had to be. She wasn't used to bare shoulders on her armor, and despite repeated assurances from Karl's apprentice… she was downright certain her breasts were going to pop out from the first jarring blow she took. And the last time she had walked around with an exposed navel… she had been twelve… swimming… and her swimwear had ripped.

And the leggings? Hah! _What_ leggings? It was a series of leather straps, tight suede, and the occasional metal plate that left most of her legs bare. She felt like she was wearing glorified underwear. How on earth was this supposed to protect her from a strong winter breeze, much less a foe's steel?

"Well, Coran, Karl is an enchanter as well as a craftsman." Ironhammer noted, the answer to her unanswered question catching Devona's attention. "His armor is blessed by a power that gives them great protective qualities… and thus allows him to play around with appearances. I've heard him use that as an excuse for the price… but one never knows."

"Speaking of which, Jalis… I was hoping you'd allow me the leave of one of your messengers in which to request reimbursement from my private coffers in Ascalon…" Coran began.

"Nonsense. Without this fine lady, it is quite possible I'd be at the mercies of the Stone Summit." Jalis declared loudly. "A mere overpriced suit of armor for a kingdom is a trade I'm willing to make."

Coran smiled and said in a perfect deadpan, "Well, my dear, it appears you now owe King Ironhammer a night he'll never forget."

The mere thought was so hilarious that Devona found herself laughing in spite of herself until she noticed Ironhammer's truly perplexed expression. Suddenly nervous that she might have insulted the Deldrimor ruler, she began to explain "You see, the armorer suggested that I repay Coran in a most… lewd… manner… and now… you… because you… um…" The explanation began to sound like less and less of a good idea to the point where Devona just stopped abruptly, blushing furiously.

"I understood the joke… I was just trying to figure out what I'd be able to do with a tall tower of flesh like you." The dwarf replied candidly. "I suspect such a trist would only end in tears, especially once my wife found me trying to climb you like a tree… if I hadn't already injured myself in the attempt."

"Devona dear, if you don't stop that, I fear the blood vessels in your head will burst." Coran said with lighthearted concern. "I think it's more than enough that I am having a hard time maintaining my blood pressure right now."

"That's it… I'm changing." Devona grumbled, trying to pretend to be disgusted by Coran's definitely suggestive comment even as the rebellious part of her was actually thrilled that he found her desirable. "I can't believe that the day has come that I prefer to be seen in a dress than armor."

"If you're trying to settle my desires, I'm afraid that is being caused by the woman in the clothes, not the clothes themselves."

Devona fell into full retreat, disappearing into the hall, presumably towards her quarters, her rate of departure reflecting her embarrassment.

"My, I fear the tension in that young lady can't be healthy. But I must say I do believe she is fond of you, Coran." King Ironhammer noted. "Poor girl seems to have some sort of complex…"

"She won't tell me what is on her mind, other than she feels she either doesn't deserve to, or can't, be Queen." Coran answered, "She'll come around though, I'm certain of it."

"Ah, to be young… fortunately the condition passes."

* * *

"I'm freezing." Cynn complained. "Why do we have to be out here again?"

"Because Coran chose us to be Ascalon's representatives to welcome Queen Salma when she arrives?" Mhenlo said with a raised eyebrow.

"He just wanted some time alone with Devona… this was just a convenient excuse to get us out of the way." Cynn answered with a scoff, not accepting that explanation in the slightest.

"Wouldn't be surprised. I happened to see some of Devona's armor as it was delivered." Aiden replied, seemingly unperturbed by the chilly air of the Shiverpeaks. "I dare say it would look rather scandalous on our fearless leader."

Yuu grunted testily, "As much as I love gossiping about things that are none of our business… I don't."

Before Cynn could come back with a retort, Aiden pointed towards the open gates of the keep, and said, "There comes the Krytan caravan right now."

Much like the arrivals from Ascalon, the Krytans didn't come with a great amount of fanfare and large numbers. Only two carriages pulled through the gates of Thunderhead Keep, emblazoned only with the insignia of the Krytan royal family as any indicator people of any political importance were inside.

The delegation began to disembark, but it didn't take Cynn long to throw proper decorum out the window. "Evennia!" The elementalist squealed, dashing forward to meet the Shining Blade leader. To her credit, Evennia didn't take long to figure out who and where the welcome originated, and the two women shared a friendly embrace before the other members of the party would catch up.

Evennia approached Mhenlo with a warm hug and some whispered words before Cynn not so gently forced them apart with a narrow glare, then turned the lady monk towards Aiden to continue the greetings.

"It is so relieving to see you well." Evennia declared when said greetings were concluded.

"And us as well. We had heard you had come across some trouble with Titans." Mhenlo replied.

Evennia shrugged. "We managed, and had help. The beasts didn't reach Denravi, so we were spared the worst of their destructive presence."

"What are you doing here, anyway?" Cynn queried. "We weren't expecting you!"

"Queen Salma decided to invite me as a representative, as the Maguuma Jungle is technically Krytan territory." The lady monk answered. "Plus, I think she didn't want to feel like the only delegate completely out of place."

"Oh, don't worry… I suspect Devona will share her discomfort." Aiden replied.

"Devona will be present in the summit chamber?" Evennia asked. "Clearly there are some things I must know."

"Devona is King Coran's betrothed." Cynn replied. "Don't feel sad you didn't know. We didn't even know that she had been bonded to the young king until Devona had no choice but to come clean."

"Actually…" Mhenlo began to correct, but went silent due to Cynn's scowl.

"And they aren't married yet? Hasn't King Coran been in power for several months now?"

"Five months." Cynn amended. "And it's because Devona is being stubborn."

Evennia blinked several times. "About what?"

The elementalist shrugged. "Who knows? She loves him… he loves her… anyone with a pulse can see that. But she's playing hard to get, claiming that she doesn't want to be Queen, but won't tell anyone why."

Evennia sighed, turning her head as Coran, King Ironhammer, and Devona emerged from the main hall, and met Queen Salma as she stepped forward from the carriage. Greetings were exchanged between the three monarchs, but Evennia noted how Devona's fist clenched tightly as Salma and Coran exchanged pecks on the cheek. Devona then rejected Coran's arm to escort her back into the hall, taking stride behind the three royals after Salma accepted the offer instead.

"That girl is hopeless, isn't she?" Evennia said with a patronizing shake of her head. "Someone needs to talk to that girl…"

"No one will do any such thing." Yuu said warningly. "Coran has made his desire for us to stay out of his dealings with Devona very clear. I will not tolerate another meddlesome woman trying to play matchmaker."

"Don't worry about Yuu, Evennia. She's always combative." Cynn said.

"You have no idea what combative is, girl." The black clothed woman retorted bitterly, "But you will if you try and pull another stunt like you did returning the king to Ascalon. The same goes to any of you. Leave him and his bondmate _alone_."

Yuu stomped away indignantly soon after, leaving her threat to hover in the air. That should keep those vultures away while she did what she had planned…


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Devona hated her life…

The Tyrian Summit was due to start within the hour, and, because of her previously acknowledged lack of courage to break her bonding with Coran, she was compelled to attend as the acting "left hand" of Ascalon.

The problem; she was staring down at her clothing options like a child at the dinner table presented with her two worst foods.

On one hand, she could dress true to her profession, and wear the armor that such expense had been put into providing for her... if she weren't terrified she'd be confused for an exotic dancer. Seriously, she wasn't certain if she'd even wear that for _battle_. Nonetheless, it would suggest she wasn't a typical lady that would be entertained with babbling small talk… just random acts of perversion.

Then… there was a white lace and satin dress. The problem there was obvious. Maybe it was a reaction to all the "lady drills" her mother put her through, but Devona absolutely _loathed_ looking and acting overly feminine… it made her feel fake and pathetic. If this were a normal situation, she wouldn't have hesitated, but the official capacity of the summit suggested that all the pomp and circumstance she loathed would be present in force.

"Madam Devona, your presence is required in the Grand Hall." One of the Ascalon retainers brought by Coran declared from the other side of the closed door.

"I shall be out shortly." The warrior replied, panic starting to set in. Moments later, the desire not to be stared at like a steak brought before a table of starving men won out, and she took the dress and stepped into it, deftly pulling buttoning the back closed, oddly proud that she could do so without assistance.

Devona examined herself in the mirror, and loathed what she saw. At least the stylists found they couldn't do much with her hair save clean it and tie it into a ponytail. Even then, she looked like a girl who hadn't as much as done one bit of manual labor in her life. It was insulting to her fighter's mentality.

Without even bothering to knock, the near waifish form of Yuu entered Devona's chambers, dressed in the same Shade Armor that she always seemed to be seen in. Devona sniffed… it just wasn't fair.

"Coran's been asking for you for the last fifteen minutes." The black-garbed scout commented haughtily. "If anything, will you please hurry so that he'll stop bothering me about it?"

Devona found herself chuckling. She actually liked the brooding daughter of Idori, even if Yuu gave no indication at any time that such feelings were reciprocated. Devona had experience dealing with the anti-social, and knew it could take a long time for such people to feel comfortable dealing with others.

"I am on my way now." Devona said, turning away from the mirror, and accepting Yuu's motion to leave the chambers first. The shorter woman then took stride next to the warrior as the pair turned towards the conference hall in which the summit would be held in.

"By the way, I overheard something that might interest you." Yuu said flatly.

"Really?" Devona replied, feigning interest partly.

"It appears that Queen Salma is under pressure to find herself a husband. Apparently, the favorite for that role is King Coran."

Devona blinked. "What? How do you know this?"

Yuu looked up at the warrior with a patronizing expression. "I'm a Shade. I'm quite skilled at hearing things I'm not supposed to. Apparently, the nobility of Kryta see an opportunity to infuse Doric's bloodline into the noble pool, as well as the possibility of reuniting both kingdoms under one royal family."

Devona froze, the blood in her veins going cold. "You are certain about this?"

"As certain as the people who spoke it were." The black-clothed woman answered. "I'm not even certain anymore why I bothered you with it. After all, it's not like it concerns you, right? You're just biding your time to break the bonding you have anyway, correct?"

"Right." Devona answered, pleased that she hid the shakiness in her voice. "Once Ascalon is set to rights, and the nobles stop worrying about the royal line, I can sever the bond officially without being run out of the kingdom. This news about Queen Salma in fact is quite a boon for me. How could I challenge a queen's wish to marry?"

"Indeed. You'd be off the hook, as it were." Yuu said dismissively, then stopped abruptly. "Well, here we are. Keep good spirits, Devona. You shouldn't have to play queen much longer." Yuu then turned about on her heel, and retreated down the hall.

The Shade then slinked off towards the Krytan wing, where Queen Salma and her entourage was starting to approach the conference hall. Yuu nodded respectfully to the queen, then asked the queen for permission to speak with one of her followers. With a nod, Salma allowed the object of Yuu's search to step aside for a short time.

"The plan is in place. Just do what I ask of you, and don't freelance." Yuu said, loud enough to appear merely conversational, but not loud enough to be overheard by the still moving procession.

"Of course." Yuu's conspirator replied. "It'll work, right?"

"If what you've told me of Queen Salma is correct… it'll work like a charm. I've come to know Devona quite well. She'll come to you, and you merely tell her what she doesn't want to hear. Understand?"

"Yes. I've got it. I'm not stupid."

"Not trying to imply you are. Just making sure we're both on the same page. Now get going before someone starts to wonder what is taking you so long."

* * *

"I'm not sure the lives the Dredges are living now are all that much better than the lives they had inside Sorrow's Furnace." Coran remarked, not hiding his displeasure towards the samples of the species working as drudges inside the Keep since the Stone Summit were forced to retreat from that hotbed.

"I sometimes think that myself." King Ironhammer acknowledged to the Ascalon monarch's surprise. "But they have very useful skills beyond service duties, and it will take time to teach them others. Besides, at least working for me and the Deldrimor they get fed regularly and aren't beaten to death. That, and consider that I have not forced any Dredge to leave their underground home, and in fact have declared that the Deldrimor nation will fight to protect their land as if it were ours."

"True enough." Coran replied. "Just be careful how you proceed. Integrating a new race with different cultures and mores can be a trying process even under the best of conditions."

"Wisdom beyond your apparent years." Ironhammer noted. "Now, do explain to me something I heard a month or so back… something about taking down the trebuchets along your Northern Wall? Isn't that inviting an attack from the Charr?"

"Perhaps, but it will be at their peril." The young king answered. "I suppose I should probably tell you the whole story, just so that you don't get the wrong idea…" at that point, Coran's voice dropped below what Devona could hear from her position, leaning against the wall near the main door, looking for the first opportunity for her to slip out at next recess, as she was utterly bored out of her mind. Really… what could she _possibly_ contribute?

"I must say how lucky of a woman you are." A voice said out of her cone of vision. Devona turned her head to see the splendidly arrayed Queen Salma next to her, a crystal goblet of fruit wine in her right hand, barely sipped from judging from its relative fullness.

"Am I?" Devona replied, forcing herself not to sound catty. In truth, the warrior was feeling somewhat threatened and intimidated by the Krytan queen's presence. Salma was hardly an ugly woman, even with the heavy tattoos that marked her family line and original status as a Priestess in the Temple of Ages, common body art for all of the Krytan people, as opposed to only the monks in Ascalon society. In fact, she had an exotic loveliness that Devona had no doubt any man would find appealing.

Devona forced back a self-loathing sigh. She was intimidated of a woman who she could probably snap in half with her bare hands… all because of some damn rumor Yuu overheard.

At that moment, Salma's eyes turned towards the two kings in quiet conversation. "King Coran is a remarkably intelligent man with knowledge that would make him the envy of Tyria."

"That is true… but I can also say that his smarts make him somewhat aggravating to deal with as well. It seems like he always has the answers, and will not hesitate to bore you to tears with tidbits that simply do not interest you in the slightest." Devona said with a scoff. She was surprising herself with her tone. She had never found Coran boring, even when he starting saying things that she had no hope of understanding at beyond the basest of levels.

"I don't know about that." Salma replied, and her voice seemed to become wistful. "I am looking forward to the opportunity to pleasure his tool with the techniques I learned in the Temple…"

Devona choked on the wine she had just started to sip, and coughed several times before gaining enough breath to ask incredulously, "What did you just say?"

Startled by Devona's accusing question, Salma took a step back, and said nervously, "I said I was looking forward to measuring the tools he's using to restore his kingdom against the techniques of natural balance I learned while in the Temple of Ages. What did you think I said?"

"Oh! Nothing! I just didn't hear you clearly the first time." Devona replied, turning away to prevent the queen from seeing the embarrassment creeping up her neck and face. Grenth take her… she was starting to hear things.

"Now if only King Ironhammer would stop monopolizing your betrothed's attention, I could get my chance to pry into his mind." Salma then winked, "Although, I will say if you didn't already have his eye, I'd be tempted to pry into more than that."

It took every fiber of Devona's brain not to rearrange the suggestive facial expression of the Krytan queen. But even as one part of her wanted to strangle the jungle slut, the words out of her mouth reflected much greater indifference. "My bonding to Coran was merely the result of misplaced good intentions by the late King Adelbern. It isn't a serious commitment."

"Oh." Salma seemed genuinely surprised by that, and Devona cattily thought it must have been a very pleasant surprise indeed. Once again, the warrior felt her fingers convulse, fighting to close into fists. To the warrior's dismay, she was finding it very difficult not to apply some of her professions manner of debate to the proceedings…

"_What?_" The shout from King Ironhammer dispelled the tension, and turned all the attention in the room towards the dwarven monarch. The Deldrimor leader's face was contorted in near indignant rage, and his words seemed close to the disjointed ravings of a lunatic "How? When? Who? Where did you learn… that lard ridden grease spot of a dolyak's mating! He got irritated that I got sick of his experiments, and decided to get back at me, didn't he? I'll flay the skin off his bones for this treason!"

"Jalis, at ease… none of your people has betrayed anything." Coran said, trying to soothe the angered dwarf. "Perhaps I should have explained first that I learned the science from a completely independent source. You honestly didn't expect this knowledge to remain your people's secret forever, did you?"

"No… I suppose not." King Ironhammer said, slowly losing the red fury in his cheeks. "But… this a great power you're toying with, and you said you've made that stuff into…"

"Yes. Let me assure you that I am extremely confident in what I'm doing."

"If you say so… I hope you're right, young man. I sincerely hope you're right." Jalis said warily, pausing to finish the rest of the mug of ale in front of him. Then, noticing that everyone was staring at him due to his display, he adjusted his collar and said, "Well, I suppose now is as good of a time as any to recess for the evening meal. Come with me to the Mead Hall, and we will resume the summit in here by the end of the next hour."


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Evennia pretended not to notice Devona approaching swiftly. The lady monk kept her head down as if fascinated by her food, afraid that seeming too eager to talk might be a tip-off.

"Evennia, may I speak with you?" Devona asked, trying to sound casual, but the monk could almost feel the panic radiating off the warrior.

Evennia dropped her eating utensils casually, then finally looked up at the warrior before dabbing her lower lip with her napkin and pretending to swallow a bite of food. "Of course you can. Please, sit down…" She said, motioning to the dining chair across from her.

Devona nearly melted onto the padded chair, her shoulders slumped in defeat. 'Poor girl…' Evennia thought, 'She's losing a battle that isn't even being fought…'

"I need to know something you might know." Devona said.

"Very well, what is it you desire to know?"

Devona stared at her shoes as if they were the most intriguing thing in the room. "I heard a rumor… that Queen Salma was being forced to marry…"

"Well, I wouldn't say 'forced'…" Evennia answered, "She is queen after all. But the Lionguard apparently seems intent on reestablishing the royal line. King Coran was apparently the name that frequently came up, but I don't know if the Lionguard knew of his previous bonding."

"So, it is more than rumor…" Devona said with a forlorn sigh.

Devona looked so pained that Evennia almost cracked. She didn't want to hurt her warrior friend… but perhaps Yuu was right, and that all this was for her own good. This game that Devona was playing with her own mind couldn't continue.

"Yes, it is quite a serious issue. But I think it's a moot point. King Coran is already engaged to you, and I can't imagine Queen Salma would be so improper as to proposition an already bonded man."

Devona again sighed. "I… might have told your queen… that… my bonding to Coran was… mostly for appearances…"

"And why did you say that?" Evennia asked. "Are you really not at all interested?"

"It's… complicated. I just… Dwayna save me, I don't know… I just know I can't be queen."

"Why not?"

"I said it's complicated."

"Well, I suspect if you don't simplify things rather fast, you'll be too late." Evennia remarked, pointing across the dining table where Coran was engaged in what appeared to be very light-hearted conversation. At the moment, they seemed to be examining tattoos…

Like a masochist, Devona was drawn to the conversation. "Coran…" She began, but then realized she had no idea just what she was supposed to say.

"Oh, hello, Devona dear!" Coran chirped. "I'm sorry if I've been neglecting you. Queen Salma and I were analyzing the differences in the icons between Kryta and Ascalon. It's really quite impressive how little has changed between the two kingdoms' faiths."

"Yes… it is truly amazing how much Coran and I have in common." Salma replied. "It is truly relieving to be able to share worries with someone who can understand. The duties of a monarch can be so overwhelming… especially when you have no real preparation for the role."

Of course Coran could understand. It made so much sense… a lot more sense than some trashy warrior who would be afraid of the very responsibility that the two monarchs were forced to assume for the good of both kingdoms.

She couldn't stay… she had to leave before she completely broke down.

Of course, the sight of Devona dashing out of the meeting hall like her dress was on fire probably wasn't exactly an inconspicuous way to exit.

* * *

She found herself in the "Ice Garden", a beautiful and intricate courtyard in Thunderhead Keep, formed of various ice sculptures that served not just as pieces, but as the terrain as well; bridges, dividers… all of it, textured and/or colored to create a wintry kaleidoscope.

But at this point, Devona wasn't there to admire the scenery… she just wanted to disappear, to rid herself of all this silly feminine angst. Grenth take it all, why was her life resembling a cheap romance story?

"Is this going to happen every time a moderately attractive woman comes within shouting distance?" Coran asked, causing Devona to freeze in shock.

"How…" She began to say, but she was choked off by a insulting wimpy sob. What in the cursed depths of the Underworld was going on with her?

"Well, you weren't exactly subtle in your retreat." Coran said, pointing back towards the Keep interior. "It was rather easy to trace your path just by asking the retainers in the halls where a crying human female had run off to."

"I wasn't crying." Devona retorted. "I… just needed some air."

"Sure you did. You needed air so badly that you had to sprint outside." Coran said with a wry grin. "What was it really about?

Devona groaned forlornly, "I just… couldn't bear to see Salma clinging all over you."

Coran's eyebrows furrowed. "Clinging all over me? What are you talking about?"

"I heard from Yuu… that Salma was looking to marry you. Reuniting the human kingdoms and all that."

Coran then laughed. "I'm going to have to have a talk with Yuu about spreading nasty rumors."

"Then… it's not true?" Devona said, trying and failing not to sound overly hopeful.

"Not in the slightest. The scars of the Guild Wars still run deep. The people of Kryta would _never_ accept an Ascalonian king… and in contrast, do you think anybody in the Conclave would accept a Krytan for queen?"

Coran sighed as Devona shook her head. "All right, I can't keep doing this."

"_You_ can't keep doing this?" Devona groused. She's been an emotional wreck for months, and _he's_ the one who can't keep going on with this mess?

Coran grabbed Devona by the hands, and looked into her eyes. When did he become taller than her? "This nonsense cannot continue. If you honestly want to break our bonding, say so right now. I won't bother you further. I won't even demand we stop being friends. But if you do not want to be my wife, I need you to say so."

Devona's mouth opened, but no words came. Her heart just wouldn't let her say what her head knew was for the best…

Another knowing sigh escaped the young king's lips. "Okay… so now we come to the problem you seem unwilling to discuss. The one that seems to keep us in this limbo." When again Devona was silent, he added, "We're not going back inside until you start talking or one of us freezes to death, and I'm afraid to say I'm dressed a little more warmly than you."

"I don't think I could do it… be queen, I mean."

"Why would you think that?" Coran asked.

"You said yourself that Ascalon didn't need to be led by a sword, right? I'm a warrior, not some sort of genius. I wouldn't know what to do…"

"Devona, you don't give yourself enough credit. In my address on King's Watch, I was speaking more of my brother, who was impulsive and bloodthirsty. It would have made for a poor king considering Ascalon's situation. You are neither. You'd be more than capable of following Sslani's instruction if anything were to happen to me. He's already said he'd be willing to take over that duty if I were to fall."

His eyes then narrowed. "That's not all there is to it, is there?"

"How can you do it?" Devona asked. "Make the decisions of a king and not drive yourself crazy? What if you choose wrong? All the people… what if they hate you for the decisions you make? I can't do those things… I'd lose my mind…"

She then felt Coran's arms go around her and wrap her in a warm hug. "Well, the easy answer is that all of your worries seem to be based on me dying. Let me assure you that I don't plan on leaving this mortal coil any time soon, and have many contingencies in place to prevent that."

"But…"

"And even _if_ the unthinkable happens…" Coran interrupted, a finger dropping onto her lips. "Let me tell you a little secret… I don't trust most of the Conclave. Barradin is pretty much a less intelligent version of my father. Darrin, while smart, doesn't have the temperament to be a good king. The others either lack the experience, or the wisdom."

"But…"

"I trust _you_, Devona, and I've done all I can to help you if disaster occurs. Sslani will be there to aid you in matters of science, and with Mhenlo taking over as High Priest, you'd have someone you are familiar with, and possessing wisdom far beyond his years, also to be of aid."

"But…"

"Have faith in me and in yourself. I need you at my side, for Ascalon…" Then with a sly grin, he added, "and I'll admit for my own selfish purposes…"

"You sound so certain…" Devona remarked, Coran's disarming words serving it's intended purpose. Nonetheless, she found herself remarkably emboldened by Coran's vote of confidence. "All right… I'll play your game for now. Just… try not and get yourself killed, so that all your plans for my reign don't need to be tested."

"So, you will be my queen?"

"Yes, dear Coran. If only to get you to stop talking…" She then pushed up with her toes, and caught his lips with hers.

* * *

Meanwhile, neither of the two loves was aware they had an audience.

"That was so romantic." Cynn sighed from her position looking through a hall window at the scene. "Doesn't it make you feel all warm and happy?"

"It makes me relieved." Mhenlo retorted, hoping that Cynn didn't catch the break of his voice. In truth, it made the monk realize the empty part of his heart, something he really didn't want to address… it was too embarrassing.

"You mean, moments like these don't make you wish for that sort of happiness yourself?" Cynn asked. "Do you always have to be so damned cautious and rational? Gods… you'd think having the favor of Balthazar would occasionally grant you some assertiveness…"

Mhenlo's eyes bulged as Cynn grabbed his head, and kissed him. It wasn't a very long one, as it seemed Cynn was as embarrassed about the situation as he, pushing him away as if she had suddenly realized what she was doing. The elementalist grabbed the monk by his collar, and said threateningly, "If you ever tell this to anyone… I will deny it, then kill you in your sleep. Understand?"

"Understood."

"Okay… now get back over here…"

* * *

However, one observer didn't see the exchange between Coran and his queen-to-be quite the same way.

It was better this way, Yuu had tried to rationalize. She could never have given Coran what he needed… Grenth take it, was she crying?

"For a woman who just saw her plan succeed, you don't look terribly happy." Aidan asked, his voice an unwelcome presence. She had been so engrossed in her own self pity that she hadn't sensed his approach.

"It's none of your business." Yuu snapped, hastily trying to wipe the moisture from her face.

Aidan was quick to reach the all too logical conclusion. "You… weren't in love with our king yourself, were you?"

"I said it was none of your business!" She shouted, her composure completely abandoning her. "Just leave me alone!" The assassin stomped off bitterly, no longer fighting the tears as they began to fall…

Yuu knew it was for the best… but why was it so hard to accept?


	26. Chapter 26

_Author's Note: As a word of warning... some of the content of this particular chapter may be slightly mature... I try to avoid being crude, but there is implied sexual activity and some mature discussion that might not be suitable for younger readers..._

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Amazing what one good talk will do.

The second day of the summit was nigh, although to Devona it felt like it was still yesterday. Perhaps that was because she had managed so little sleep last night. Of course, sleep hadn't exactly been her friend for the last five months… but her sleeplessness this time was more due to the fact that…

… Grenth take it, she was starting to blush just _remembering_ last night… enough of that, then…

"Tired, are we?" A cutting droll interrupted Devona's half-awake state, and served to fully rouse the warrior. She sat up, self-consciously holding the thick fur, down filled blanket to her naked chest.

Yuu was standing at the foot of the bed, hands on her hips, looking somewhat put out by something that Devona could not immediately assess. "Not surprising, I suppose, you two kept me up most of the night as well. Perhaps next time you decide to sate months worth of sexual tension, you can _not_ bang the headboard violently against the dividing wall between our chambers?"

Now Devona was _really_ embarrassed; partially because Yuu was being so blunt about it, and partially because the assassin had due reason to be so blunt.

"I… I'm… so sorry…" Devona stammered, "Had I known…"

"Relax. I didn't hear anything." Yuu replied, "I just wanted to see how aware of anything you had been during what had clearly been a long night. At any rate, I suspect Coran will be ready to attend the Summit shortly, and it might be a good idea if you are at least beginning your preparations to join him."

It was at that point that Devona processed the fact that Coran was not right next to her in the absurdly large bed. "Where…"

Yuu pointed to her right. "On the balcony performing his daily prayers and meditations. Once a monk, always a monk, I guess."

Sure enough, the Ascalonian king was out on the balcony, legs crossed and his back to them, shirtless despite what must have been frigid temperatures on the other side of the glass divider. Devona found herself staring at two sets of bright red marks, five to each set on each of Coran's shoulders. For a moment, Devona wondered what they were and how they got there… until she remembered all to well. She must have been gripping him pretty tightly while he…

"When you're done ogling your lover, may I recommend getting ready?" Yuu again asked acerbically, now tapping her foot with impatience.

Devona then realized that she had been staring at him, likely with a very sensual expression. She stammered another apology, and slid out of bed, trying to block out the fact that there was another person in the room eyeing her coldly as she tried to locate her clothes.

Of course, she soon realized that the only thing that passed as clothing she had in the chambers was her new suit of armor. She remembered changing after the evening session of the Summit had concluded before attending to her betrothed. He had obviously found it appealing, and Devona had seen very little problem indulging him, especially with his reaction when he saw her enter, and how his…

"While some people have claimed I might prefer the company of other women, in truth I really dislike being together with a naked girl." Yuu sniped. "I suspect Coran is finishing his prayers as well."

Another apology, and Devona started to dress herself. Yuu, by her experience, could be very crass and cold, but it seemed like the assassin was taking it up a notch today. "Is something wrong, Yuu? You seem irritated."

"I'm always irritated for one reason or another." The assassin replied dismissively. "My father says it's bad for my health."

"While that might be… you seem especially irritated today."

"It's a personal issue that you need not worry about. But speaking of things that do concern you, it appears our king is finished with his masochistic meditation. I shall take my leave."

Yuu disappeared from the chamber as Coran entered, shivering from the outdoors. "Mhenlo said that meditating in the open here in the Shiverpeaks gave him a remarkable clarity of man's place in the world." He said, "The only clarity I gathered was that it is impossibly cold up in these mountains. Although if you promise to wear that today, I suspect I'll warm right quickly."

He paused to kiss Devona lovingly, she lightly embraced him and remarked, "You are freezing. Let me stoke the fire in here." She knelt down to toss three more logs onto the dying fire, poking the embers with a prod to stir up some more heat. "As for the armor, I really do not want to go back to my chambers to find something else, so I suppose you'll get your wish."

Once she was satisfied with those efforts, she broke into her morning stretches and exercises. As she proceeded to stretching her calves, she said, "Coran, you know Yuu pretty well, right?"

"I would like to think so."

"She seemed rather annoyed when she woke me. Do you know why?"

"She always seems annoyed. She really isn't most of the time; it's one of her personality quirks. I think she likes being rather unapproachable."

"But… I don't know… she seemed more irked than normal. Is there something about this day that stirs up bad memories?"

Coran sat down on the bed, and said, "Not particularly, but perhaps yesterday did. Maybe there is something to what Aidan told me just now."

"Just now?" Devona asked, then noticed that the ranger was actually in the room, leaning against the wall next to the balcony exit.

Before she could ask, Aiden pointed outside. "I was on the balcony with Coran as he was performing his morning rituals. I was probably out of sight, and you were tending to the fire when I slipped in here. I had wanted to discuss the assassin myself."

Coran seemed somewhat nervous when he said, "Aiden feels that Yuu might have, or had, feelings for me. Nonetheless, I don't think that would be the source of Yuu's troubles."

"You think she does." Devona accused.

"I know she does, actually, and if circumstances were different, maybe something could have come of them. But that is neither here nor there." Coran said bluntly. "But even I weren't already bonded and quite happy with my current affections…" Coran squeezed Devona's hand tenderly to reinforce that statement, "… Yuu would not have allowed herself to pursue them. And _that_, my love and my friend, is the source of Yuu's ills."

Coran sighed, "I've really gotten into the habit of discussing the secrets of others, haven't I? But bear in mind, I'm only telling you both because I know Yuu never would, and I don't want you pestering her any more than you already have."

"To put it simply, Yuu has the same desires as most women and even men… to be happy, to find love, have a family, all those normal goals that you would expect out of any reasonably sane person. Unfortunately for Yuu, she cannot have many of those things, as it might kill her."

"What?" Devona asked, aghast.

"Firstly, I must explain something about Yuu's past and her first encounter with the Charr. When she was twelve, she had wandered out past the boundaries of the Hylan colony, and was taken prisoner." Coran said grimly. "And thanks to my many conversations with Grazz, I believe I have finally pieced together what exactly happened to her and why."

"The Charr have a belief that their souls are passed into their children as they are born. The more offspring they have, the more powerful that soul becomes upon death as they enter the Rift. To that extent, they believe that a Charr who cannot continue the line is in essence spiritually dead, and if the last survivor of a Charr line dies without passing on its soul, the spirits of that entire line die as well."

"This I believe has manifest itself in how they torture their prisoners, although as far as I know, this particular punishment is reserved only for women. They take a burning ember, and they… violate the woman, burning her vagina severely."

Devona gasped, remembering when she had been temporarily overwhelmed when fleeing from Hylan.

"Yes, that was what the Charr were going to do to you. After that, they would have carried you to one of their ritual fires, and burned you to ashes. I'm not entirely certain why they perform such a sick act if they simply incinerate any female prisoners they get, nor why they don't perform similar acts to any males they capture, but I do know that the Charr are a very patriarchal society that has very little regard for women, so perhaps this is a way to degrade their female prisoners before executing them, reflective of the low value they give to the female gender even among their own kind."

"At any rate, the beginnings of this ritual are what happened to Yuu. While she was rescued, by Grazz in fact, the damage to her… sensual areas had been done. She is heavily scarred from that event, that if she were to be sexually active, it's possible those scars would open… causing undue pain and perhaps mortal bleeding. At the best, she would gain no pleasure from the experience, and at the worst, the damage could be fatal."

Coran paused slightly, as if uncertain how to proceed. "And if through some miracle she were to ever become pregnant… her vagina simply would not be able to stretch in the way a normal woman's would. Giving birth would literally rip her insides apart, killing her, and likely her child. Sadly, such damage has been proven to be beyond any monk's ability to heal… even Mhenlo's. Yes, he knows of this… I told him several months ago, and we attempted to mend her without success. "

"Perhaps there is a little bit of truth to the Charr's belief of the soul being tied to a person's sexual opportunity, because there does indeed seem to be something… dead… inside of Yuu, the knowledge that she simply cannot have the pleasures and the promises that most normal people have."

Coran's tone turned bitter, the only other time she heard him talk in such a way was whenever he would talk about his childhood in regards to his brother, Rurik, or when he tried to think about his mother. "On an aside, this created a strain between myself and Sslani, a strain that has never completely fully healed. I know he possesses the genetic, cellular, and surgical knowledge to heal Yuu's condition, but to this point, he has refused to do so. I understand his reasons; his Academy is not ready to be received by the people of Tyria, nor can he afford to offer exceptions to certain people because he happens to know them… but it's still hard for me to accept."

"At any rate, I'm quite certain it hurts her to see Devona and myself together… even as she knows that she couldn't give any man what she feels they want and deserve. The best I could do, and continue to do, is be her friend."

"That's terrible. No wonder she is the way she is." Devona said, finding herself near tears. Perhaps it was intimate knowledge of how close she had come to suffering that same fate, or maybe she was primed for such a deep emotive response. "And… oh Dwayna... what she must have felt this morning, seeing me the way I was, knowing what must have happened…"

"She doesn't resent you, Devona. I'm certain of that." Coran said comfortingly. "Nor does she begrudge you for doing what is natural. If I may be so bold as to let you in on a little secret, and Aidan can vouch, is that when you ran off into the Charr's clutches back when we were making for the wall, I wasn't the first one to run after you… Yuu was, and she threatened death upon anyone who told you."

The ranger nodded, as if suddenly amused by whatever images that recollection provided.

"Just as I can only be her friend, I hope that both of you can continue to see past her foibles and the walls she constructs around her heart. That's what she needs most of all, people willing to accept her and to show her that she can still provide much for others."

Aidan looked towards the hallway entrance to the chambers, and he tensed, gesturing towards the now open doorway. Yuu was in the doorway, her facial features impassive, but her eyes reflected a nervous fear, as if she were a child whose trust had just been betrayed.

"King Ironhammer wished to know what was keeping you, Coran, as he would like to begin the morning discussions. I suspect my initial theory that you and your future queen were resuming your night's activities will suit his curiosity." The assassin said coldly, and made to leave.

Devona leaped to her feet, catching up to Yuu before the Shade had made more than four strides down the hall. "Yuu, please wait!"

The assassin did as ordered, turning about and staring up at the warrior with disinterest. Devona was silent, not sure how to put her thoughts to words, and it prompted Yuu to say testily, "Well?"

Finally, Devona gathered up the shorter girl, and hugged her tenderly. "I'm so sorry. I… I shouldn't have been so outward about…"

"It's not your fault. How could you have known? And even if you did, why should you be ashamed?" Yuu replied, the impassive façade cracking ever so slightly, the assassin's voice reflecting an ever so slight hint of sadness and regret. "Coran deserves everything you can give him… things I simply can't…"

"Perhaps… but he values you dearly, and I am fond of you as well. I considered you a friend even before learning what I did just now. I just want you to know that I will always be here if you need anything, just like Coran, and Aiden, and Mhenlo… even Cynn, even if she'll drive you up the wall at times."

"I'm grateful for the offer." Yuu said, pushing herself away. "Perhaps, one day, I might be able to take comfort in who I am. Until then, however, don't try to accommodate me by trying to hide your feelings or what you do with those feelings. It would only hurt you in the end, and I'd see right through your attempts anyway."

The assassin took two deep breaths, "And now that I have accepted even more people knowing of my shame, can we gather ourselves and finish this damned summit? As much as I am sure the Shiverpeaks are a beautiful place to visit, I am frankly tired of risking frostbite every time I walk outside of a room."


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

"Hide me." Devona asked, peeking around the corner of the study into the hall.

"Can I ask what it is that has frightened you to the point you are seeking refuge?" Coran asked, turning from the 'blackboard' as he called it, that he had been jotting on thoughtfully, judging from the multitude of incomprehensible white chalk marks on its surface.

"Cynn… she has been forcing me into horrid gown after horrid gown all morning." The warrior answered. "The train on the last one could have trapped a small child, never to be found again."

Coran chuckled. "She has gone overboard on this wedding, hasn't she? She is aware it's not until after the fall harvest, right?"

"She contends it's never too early to plan everything." Devona sighed hopelessly as Coran returned to his scribbling. "What are you doing over there, anyway?"

Her bondmate echoed her resigned sigh, and replied, "Nothing really… just something I've been toying with in what little free time I've had."

"Is it more aid for Ascalon?"

"If it were, it would be much higher up the chain of importance than my free time." Coran said with a smirk. "No, this is just a personal challenge of mine."

"To do what?" Devona queried further, even as she was certain the answer would be far above her. It always was…

"The simplest explanation I can muster is that I am using differential calculus to try and identify the causality link between matter and energy."

Yep… she was right…

But by that point, Coran was on a roll. He turned over the blackboard, and started writing on the other side a series of letters and numbers that might as well have been the ancient tongue of the Gods as far as Devona could comprehend.

"See, this is a simple energy to energy conversion equation. With this, and a few variable numeric values, I could tell you, for example, how much damage Cynn could do with her fireball in an ideal situation…" He jotted another slightly longer string, and continued, "Or this one, used to determine just how much energy the necromancer Eve could siphon off per second… rather simple, really."

"I'm glad you think so…" Devona muttered.

"But this… this continues to elude me." Coran said, turning the blackboard back to the first side, where the mess of halfway erased marks and chalk-flooded surface did suggest a great deal of frustration. "There's a link between matter and energy… but I just can't pin down that constant."

"Maybe such a thing doesn't exist?" The warrior offered, sensing that the conversation was starting to drift towards concepts she could grasp.

"It has to, or the very laws of physics wouldn't work the way they do." Coran said, shaking his head. "I mean, when you burn a log to produce fire, you create heat… a type of energy. But if you were to weigh the ashes of the log after it is done burning, you'd discover that it had less mass than before."

"Really?" Devona asked… wondering the sort of curious mind that would have thought to weigh a log in the first place.

"Really. You can try it sometime yourself if you don't believe me. But by the terms of the Law of Conservation of Matter, that mass can't just disappear. It has to go somewhere. My theory is that the matter is being converted to energy, but until I can find the theoretical constant, I can't calculate how or why."

Leave it to Coran to complicate something as simple as starting a fire. Wood… spark… warm. Anything beyond that seemed rather unnecessary. "Maybe the world doesn't behave the way you think it does." She said.

"That's entirely possible. Much of science is merely a string of educated guesses." The king said wistfully. "There could just be a fundamental premise I don't realize is a factor, or don't even know about yet."

"Which begs the question… why are you bothering with something so… complicated?" Devona almost said "inane and trivial", but caught herself quickly.

"As I said, it's a personal challenge." He said, "Sslani said I couldn't do it, and I hope one day I'll prove him wrong."

"You have a queer idea of spending your idle time, you know that?" Devona finally said, even as, at least on a base level, she understood his motivation. During the latter years of her training, Duke Barradin had often declared certain things were beyond her ability. The drive to prove she was capable had been profound, and perhaps pushed her to levels that she could not have attained on her own.

"There you are!" Cynn shouted. "Devona, you still have two more dresses to try on!"

"I'm afraid the fittings are going to have to wait, dear Cynn." Coran said. "I am due to present the completion of a new project, and I would like for the future queen to attend."

"Is that right? Does it have something to do with those weird wires you've been having run throughout the kingdom since the start of summer?"

"Indeed it does." Coran said. "You're welcome to attend the unveiling if you wish. Mhenlo will be there."

Devona smiled deviously as she saw the slightest hint of a blush form on the elementalist's face. "So why should that concern me?" Cynn said quickly, a little _too_ quickly.

Cynn had picked on and teased the warrior for so long that she sprung on the opportunity to turn the tables on the elementalist. "Well, I just figured ever since I caught you two being… very friendly… a couple weeks ago that you would be interested in knowing what he's been marveling over as of late."

"For your information, I'm not interested... not in the slightest." Cynn said, nervously shuffling her feet as if waiting for the first opportunity to escape. "Now, since you both clearly have somewhere you must be, I suppose the gown selection can be put off for another day. I'll… take my leave, now… your highness."

Devona could barely keep from laughing as Cynn retreated swiftly, the skirt of her dress kicking up at a fairly swift pace. That had been too much fun…

* * *

"So this… tele… thing… you're talking about is supposed to help us in the defense of Ascalon?" Barradin said as he and the other representatives of the Lord's Conclave were finally let in on the project Coran 

"Telegraph." Coran said. "And yes, I think you'll find its usefulness immeasurable."

"Not to doubt you, your highness, but I don't see how the wires you've been stringing up are supposed to turn aside a Charr's blade or magic." Lord Evan said skeptically, his arms crossed and displaying the very doubt he claimed he wasn't feeling.

"Well, think of it this way… how long does it take to get a message to Rin from Fort Ranik?"

"About two days if all goes well." Barradin replied.

"So, let's say… Fort Ranik is attacked again. It would take two days for a messenger to reach Rin… then _at least_ another two days at best for forces to arrive… assuming they were ready to go the _instant_ that the message was received."

"Hah… troops are _never_ ready." The duke answered with a scoff.

"Well, that's most likely true, but the point I was trying to make here is that even in the best foreseeable scenario, Fort Ranik could not expect aid to hold off the Charr for four days. That's a long time to have to hold a line."

"Well… yes… which is why…"

"…this telegraph will prove to be so useful." Coran finished. "With this device, we can transmit messages near instantly from one end of the land to the other."

"That… that's impossible." Lord Nassus said in stunned disbelief. "How… what magic is this?"

"Not magic in the sense you know it, Nassus." Coran said with a hint of reproach. "This magic is available to anyone with the proper knowledge. But at any rate, I'll let a demonstration prove its worth. Lord Darrin should be ready… Raynor, send a ready query to Fort Ranik."

The technician manning the somewhat hastily constructed addition to the manor began tapping his finger repeatedly onto a small metallic lever… each press making a short or prolonged beeping noise.

"This is a code that I fashioned, in which each series of long and or short beeps correspond to a certain letter of our alphabet. The telegraph operator at Fort Ranik hears exactly what you are hearing, and is able to translate, then send a similar message." Coran explained just as the beeping stopped.

Then nothing… about three minutes worth of nothing.

"I thought you said this was instantaneous, your highness." Lord Evan noted.

"I said _near_ instantaneous." Coran said, biting his lower lip nervously, "There are still some bugs to work out, I suspect…"

But finally, Coran was spared a potential embarrassment when the telegraph again started to beep, this time without the prompting of its operator, instead he was scrawling down with a pen on the paper pad next to him.

"Fort Ranik reports they are fully operational." The operator said with a sigh of relief. "I wasn't looking forward to having to test all those miles of wire, your highness."

"That will never be necessary, Reynor." Coran answered lightheartedly, "But nonetheless, I do share your relief that we had not acquired a glitch somewhere."

Barradin seemed confused, and said, "So… that communication came from Lord Darrin?"

"Well, probably not him personally… but as I understand, he is supposed to be overseeing it right now. Better yet, why don't you ask him yourself?" Coran said, gesturing for Barradin to take the seat that the operator had just vacated.

"But… I don't know how that… thing works…" The duke then said, as if fearful the telegraph was going to jump up and attack him. Devona chuckled at the sight, never knowing the heavily built warrior to back down from anything.

Coran dropped a hand on Barradin's back, and said, "No problem, I can guide you through it. The more people learn about my innovations, the better prepared they will be to use them if necessary."

Even though Devona knew it would have been impossible for her betrothed to have forced Darrin into the chair, it almost seemed like it considering the tentativeness the Duke of Green Hills was displaying.

"Okay… the code is listed right there in front of the telegraph right there." Coran pointed out. "The filled black dots indicate a long press, the unfilled dots indicate a short press. Make sure you leave about a second of silence between words so that they can properly make the break."

It took Barradin a few moments, but he did accurately and rather swiftly tap out the message "Is that you, Darrin"… in order to receive the reply a few minutes later, "Of course it's me, you damn lummox".

"That's coming from Fort Ranik all right!" Barradin said with a laugh. "Incredible!"

"And that's only part of the surprise." Coran added, "If you all would care to join me outside?"

Mhenlo and Aiden were waiting just outside the manor exit. "I take it the telegraph worked as advertised?" The monk asked.

"More or less." Coran answered. "Drake isn't here yet?"

"I don't think so… but we could have simply missed him."

"Oh, if he had arrived… you'd know it." Coran said. "But he is late. I wonder what is keeping… oh here he comes…"

Devona was about to ask how Coran knew that when the sounds of squawking interrupted her, and a blob of figures appeared at the top of the hill about a half mile off. As the mass approached, the distinct figures of four Moa birds began to form… all linked together by some sort of rope or tether. Even more interesting than that… was someone _riding_ the lead bird?

She recognized the man eventually. She had met him in the Hylan colony, when he had complained about having to let something go. No way…

"Greetings, your highness." Drake shouted as he expertly jumped off the back of the bird he had been sitting upon.

"What… is… this?" Barradin asked.

"Well, at the moment, not much." Drake said with a sigh. "But within a couple years, I should be able to breed stronger and larger birds. While these little guys are capable of carrying a rider for short lengths of time, they don't quite have the strength and stature for prolonged riding, especially if they're carrying some of those heavily armored soldiers we have."

"And what would the purpose be for…" Barradin said then his eyes bulged as he came to the conclusion himself. He might not be the smartest scientific mind, but the duke was an exceptional warrior and strategist. "Of course… these birds can run leagues faster and farther than any human. If they could be trained to carry infantry units… yes… coupled with the new messages… what would normally take four days at best to get reinforcements could take as little as one!"

The duke then got a devious gleam in his eye, and he asked, "Mister Drake… do you suppose these birds could be trained to fight while soldiers are mounted?"

Drake seemed to take that as a challenge to his skills. "Well, of course they can. Why, the birds I had trained in Hylan were almost twice the size of these little critters, and as brave as a bear. We'd give some of our units these long spears… we could skewer Charr up to three at a time on 'em, all the while the beast is pecking at whatever comes close."

"You simply _must_ tell me more… the strategies we could apply are too numerous to count." Barradin said, taking up close space with the beast master, and quickly the pair tuned out the rest of the world in their discussion.

Devona noticed the triumphant grin on her bondmate's face, reflecting confidence that everything had gone pretty much exactly as he had planned. Lord Nassus also noticed this, and said, "Well, your highness, now that you have revealed more of the future of Ascalon's security… I am curious when we will learn more about that…"

The nobleman, of course, had pointed towards the top of the Great Northern Wall in the distance. While too far away to been seen with normal eyes, it was obvious he was referring to the mysterious tarps along the battlements on the wall, covering some, as of that moment, unidentified objects that were steadily replacing the trebuchets.

Devona was certain Coran's eyes twinkled mischievously and his lips turned up knowingly, "That… is a secret for another time; a time I earnestly hope will never come."


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

Devona reached the conclusion that the Royal Palace in Rin was _far_ too unnecessarily large.

The first clue had been that it had taken nearly a year of non-stop construction to repair it to its exact and former glory... although a large part of that time could be explained by the improvements that Coran demanded be put in place.

She passed underneath one such improvement, a crystal chandelier, but imbedded with a series of glowing light bulbs as opposed to the traditional candles. Such electrical fixtures were abound in the restored palace, as were what Coran estimated were roughly two miles of wiring winding through the walls and flooring.

The warrior began to understand what Coran meant by "the blessing and the curse of technology". Certainly, without the lighting provided by the… "electricity" that Coran had taught the people of Rin to harness, Devona would have been largely stumbling in the dark right now with a candle providing feeble illumination.

On the other hand… without it, she wouldn't have any _reason_ to be stumbling around the palace in the middle of the night with a candle; because the King would be safely and snugly located in his chambers, fast asleep… not jotting near manically on the chalkboard that was taking up ever increasing amounts of his sleep cycle.

"Coran, you should be sleeping." Devona said once she entered his study, fighting back a yawn of her own as she did so.

His body seemed to agree. His eyes looked dark and beady in an attempt to maintain concentration, his face drained and pale, and his fingers were clenched and trembling in the effort to keep hold of the chalk he had been writing with… a piece that had been rubbed down to almost nothing save a tiny white nub.

His voice, or at least his words, did not. "I've almost got this… shouldn't take me much longer at all…"

"Coran, you've 'almost got this' for about three years now." The voice of Yuu interrupted in admonishment. "Since getting you to acknowledge that some things are beyond even yourself will be a worthless errand, can you at least acknowledge it is beyond yourself tonight? I frankly would like to sleep myself, which I cannot do until you are."

"He's done this before?" Devona asked.

"On the odd occasion yes… and he was just as reluctant to listen to those who knew the ungodliness of the hour then as he is now." The assassin grumbled.

"How did you get him to listen?"

"Sleeping draughts, mostly."

Coran regarded them both with a near patronizing grin and said, "While I _am_ tired, I have finally come to understand what I was doing wrong all this time. Just spare me a few more minutes to complete these equations…"

The two women glanced at each other in silent conversation, before striding into Coran's study, taking the fatigued King one to an arm, and forcibly pulling him away from the chalkboard. He didn't resist physically, knowing that to be futile, but did make considerable verbal protest.

"Devona, love… you must understand… I really _am_ close…"

"The only thing you're close to is a sound slap across the back of your head." Yuu replied.

Coran understood that he was not going to get anywhere with Yuu. "Devona, you actually had it right… physical laws _don't_ act the way I thought they did."

Devona blinked twice, but didn't say anything. She had to admit that she was curious what he meant, but at the same time didn't want to encourage him.

But Coran didn't need it. "All this time, my calculations and my work were based on a solid, secure, constant; an unmoving, static, perspective. But nothing in the world, nay, even the _universe_, exists in such a fashion. Everything is in movement… nothing is concrete… everything is relative."

"Take for example… the three of us right now." Coran continued, his tone starting to lose signs of fatigue as he obviously became more excited to prove his point. "We're obviously moving north, and rather quickly, right?"

"Yes…" Devona said.

"But look at me. We're both moving at, for the sake of argument, the same speed. In your field of vision, I'm not moving. So relative to you, I'm not moving at all. That's what I was missing in my calculations… well, that premise anyway. That's why the mathematic arguments weren't coming to proper equation at the end! That's why the link continued to elude me… I was trying to find a static constant that simply didn't exist!"

"Coran… that doesn't make sense to me..." The warrior said; trying to figure out what two people walking together had to do with a burning log.

Yuu again interrupted, "I'd wager he's not even making sense to himself right now, so don't worry yourself…" Suddenly, the assassin's head jerked straight ahead, and as Devona's eyes followed, she saw three figures come from the right side of the intersection about twenty feet ahead, then exclaim in surprise, drawing something from their backs that Devona couldn't clearly see.

"Get down!" Yuu shouted, throwing herself to the floor, dragging Coran with her and prompting Devona to do the same, followed by the whistling sound of projectiles over her head. Her fighter's instinct kicked in, and she leaped to her feet to close the distance before they could reload their weapons.

But before she could even take a step, Yuu's hand had impeded her progress. "You're not in any condition to fight!" The Shade warned. "Stay back and protect Coran. Let me handle them."

Devona frowned, but then realized that she indeed wasn't prepared for combat. While she did have a short sword at her waist (a force of habit… she felt naked somehow without some sort of weapon when she walked around), other than that she was only wearing an opaque red silk robe… not exactly a warrior's armor… and not terribly good at turning away a bolt from a miniature crossbow or a foe's steel.

Yuu didn't wait to see if her point had been made, charging forward as Devona wisely stepped back, and watched intently, her left arm circling Coran's waist protectively. Then her instinct told her they weren't safe… they had to move.

Her instinct proved correct, as she slid towards the east wall of the hallway, dragging Coran with her, just as the shimmer of a triple-pronged katar cut the air where they had been, followed by the arm, then body, of a Canthan assassin, judging from the headpiece and loose fitting combat attire.

A second katar, and thus a second assassin, forced Devona and Coran apart, and for a brief moment, Devona was near panic, worried that the other Canthan would take advantage of the break to slay Coran. She charged near blindly, drawing her sword, ready to take whatever wounds she would receive in order to return to his side.

Thus, she nearly didn't believe her instincts when she sensed both assassins turn their attention towards her… and only reacted just in time to dodge the attack from the one behind her, his katar cutting and tearing her robe… but not quickly enough to evade the lunge of his comrade, the steel arching true towards Devona's unguarded chest…

… only to be turned away abruptly by a light blue aura, the assassin's surprise giving Devona the opening she needed, striking swiftly, her short sword, seeking, and finding, the vital arteries in her opponent's neck, biting and slashing as she drew her blade across, a mortal blow that would completely neutralize the first threat.

A second attack from the remaining assassin was turned aside, and Devona finally had the clearance to see Coran, his eyes closed, left hand raised… she had seen this posture and aura only once before… Shield of Deflection, clearly Coran's elite prayer of choice.

She forced herself to move, knowing she didn't have much time before its power faded, and she'd be painfully vulnerable.

Thus, she attacked almost desperately, and she instantly regretted making the dangerous final thrust she performed, as she felt Coran's prayer abruptly falter, and the large opening her attack had made. Of course, her Canthan foe took advantage, ducking and slashing upward, katar aimed for her side, what would prove to be a fatal blow to her heart.

But once again, she was spared… the blade sank, but there was no blood, and the wound instantly sealed as the weapon was pulled away… instead small tufts of glimmering pale blue energy drifting from what should have been a torrent of escaping life. Again, Coran had saved her, this time with a spell she knew quite well… it had rescued her twice; Divine Intervention… a swift chanting prayer with just this sort of scenario in mind.

This assassin didn't seem terribly surprised, as his eyes immediately turned in Coran's direction, but didn't focus on the King for long, shifting his attention back towards Devona and moving in on the attack.

This time, Devona was more cautious, not determined to kill swiftly, taking confidence in her betrothed's skill. He had clearly remained in good practice, even if she had never seen him in such training very often.

Thus, she dug in, focused on her own training, biding her time for the opening that would eventually emerge… an opening that her opponent wouldn't have the benefit of a monk to protect him from. And surely, she found it… his left hand katar drifted in slightly too low and late as his right hand swept high, allowing Devona to sidestep and stab, the blade piercing smoothly between the assassin's ribs as the parted directly over his heart.

He fell off the blade with a satisfying squelch, and Devona almost instinctively rushed to Coran, embracing him even as he did the same, silently taking comfort in each other, with the knowledge that they were unharmed.

Yuu's voice interrupted their silent thanks. "Mercenaries. That's a relief… it means they weren't sent by Cantha. The Emperor wouldn't trust such a mission to blades for hire."

"How do you know they are mercenaries?" Devona asked. "They could merely be disguised…"

"No… there's no icon on their shoulders." Yuu replied, swiftly ripping the right arm of her Shade armor off, and displaying a black tattooed character on her almond skin. "Every legitimate assassin family in Cantha has such an icon, even my family, who fled Cantha almost sixty years ago. Traditional assassin garb leaves this mark exposed for quick, silent identification. These men bear no such mark… trained, but not officially part of any family… perhaps due to dishonor, or simply trained by the last of a line, looking to keep the knowledge alive. At any rate, the Empire would never send assassins of dubious training on a mission like slaying a king."

"They were hired by someone who knew the lay of the Royal Palace." Coran then said, any signs of the fatigue of mere minutes ago completely gone, his posture and voice now thoughtful. "But I don't think I was in any danger."

"How can you say that?" Yuu said, almost aghast. "These men are trained to kill swiftly, even a monk far more skilled in protection than you."

"I'm not saying they aren't." The King answered. "I'm saying I wasn't their target. As a matter of fact, I suspect they were given orders _not_ to harm me."

"What?" The Shade replied in disbelief, even as Devona started to think on the skirmish herself. Something hadn't been right that she hadn't allowed herself to analyze while in the heat of battle…

Coran held one finger. "First; the fiends had an opportunity to strike me, but they didn't. This is unusual in two ways. I am the King, to begin with, if you're attacking a royal palace, one would logically think I'd be their target… and generally, if given the opportunity, any warrior worth his weight knows to take out the monk first. This is why I suspect they were under orders to leave me unharmed."

He then raised another finger, and added, "Secondly, the bowmen at the end of the hall came from the right. As I'm sure you both well know; both branches lead to dead ends. On the left are my and Devona's chamber… but we are very untraditional as engaged royalty go. Normally, a king and his queen don't often share chambers, even after marriage. That's why to the right, is normally the chambers assigned to the Queen… and where she would traditionally be at this time of night."

Coran then looked down at Devona, his features grim, his eyes seeping with slowly fading fear. "These assassins weren't after me; they were after you, my dear."

"But… why?" Devona asked.

"That, I don't know… but now I wish we had left one alive to find out. As it stands, if I wasn't so abhorred by the idea of resurrecting one of these s who _dared_ attack my bondmate…"

At that moment, they heard shouting from the other end of the hall that extended towards the throne room. The shouting became clearer as the source came closer, someone calling out for Coran in panic.

At first they thought it was a guard coming in response to the sounds of battle… but apparently the skirmish had remained rather quiet, as the soldier who appeared recoiled at the carnage before him. "Your… highness! What happened? Are you all right?"

"We're fine… and when you're done relaying whatever was so dire that you came charging in, you can stir up the guard who obviously aren't as swift in response as they should be." Coran said disapprovingly.

The soldier gulped, not looking forward to giving the King bad news when the monarch had already had his share of ill intent for the night… but it couldn't be helped. "The night operator of the telegraph received an urgent message from Fort Ranik."

"The Charr? Then why aren't you stirring the army first?" Coran said, disdain turning to anger as his fists clenched.

"No… not the Charr, your highness! It's… Lord Darrin. He was… found dead not even twenty minutes ago…"


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Fortunately, Devona found some time to sleep on the trip to Fort Ranik (although not nearly enough), as did Coran, for the moment they stepped off the carriage, they were greeted by a fairly large contingent of people who were desperately seeking answers, or parlaying information.

Devona felt a little overwhelmed by the surge of question, queries, and statements, but her betrothed seemed unperturbed, likely his experience working with the Lord's Conclave helping him to sort through the morass of speech. He contritely nodded or gave passing words of encouragement, a pattern Devona tried to follow as they both followed their Shade bodyguards as the black clothed detail forced their way through the mob.

Once daylight was found, the group picked up the pace towards the lord's manor, located near the center of the large fortification. They were finally able to completely shed the "welcoming committee" once inside, and two of the Shades remained back to assist the fort guards in securing the entry.

Inside was a trio of familiar faces. "The High Priest sent me to perform the final rites for the soul, but considering the suspicious nature of the death, I figured your knowledge could be used to investigate the scene."

Coran nodded, "I appreciate it… I'll see what I can do."

Devona's eyebrow perked when she noticed Cynn's presence, and the elementalist immediately turned defensive. "I was… visiting the monk when we got the news, and he decided he needed someone intimidating to guard the scene in case some idiot tried to mess around with things."

That was entirely feasible, Devona supposed, as anyone with any degree of knowledge would be a little wary of the slight blonde woman and her volatile temper. If circumstances had been different, she might have decided to playfully tease the girl, but between Darrin's death, and the attack yesterday that Coran was certain was meant to kill her (an opinion that Devona was coming to agree with considering the circumstances of said attack), the mood wasn't ripe for any real taunting.

The third member of the group nodded in welcome, and wasted no time getting to the point. "It appears that Lord Darrin was poisoned, quite likely with his last drink still sitting on the end-table next to his bed." Aidan said. "It smells heavily laced with Plague Devourer poison. Such a poison would be odorless at first, but becomes quite pungent after a few hours."

"So I assume you examined the scene rather quickly?" Coran noted. "I can't imagine the poison still carries the odor at this point."

"Correct. I had been scouting the King's Watch area due to rumors of Charr Patrols still floating about. When I had returned to report to Lord Darrin of my findings that night, I had learned of his demise."

With that preliminary report, the door to Darrin's chambers was opened, and Coran began to come in. Devona prepared to follow, but Yuu cut her short with an arm across the doorway. "Too many people have probably messed around in here as it is." The assassin said. "Coran doesn't need more inadvertently tampering with what might be left."

"Oh." Devona said. To be honest, that provided the excuse not to go in she was looking for. Despite her warrior training, it was one thing to witness death… and entirely another to examine and try to understand it.

"Excuse me." A vaguely familiar voice said from behind them. Devona turned about to recognize the necromancer Eve. "Aidan had sent for me when he suspected Darrin had been poisoned."

"Yes, do let her in." Coran called from inside the chamber, "It certainly wouldn't hurt to get a second opinion."

Reluctantly, Yuu allowed the pale faced, darkly gowned woman to slide into the chamber, and take her place to the pair examining the body of Lord Darrin. The blankets that had been pulled up to his chin had been cast aside, revealing the corpse in an almost disrespectful fashion to prying eyes.

"Aidan, you suggested it was Devourer poison that brought about this end?" Eve asked skeptically.

"Ah, so you noticed it too?" Coran queried. "That's good to know… my distaste for death lent me to not be quite as studious in my anatomical and physiological studies, and I was afraid that I was misdiagnosing the problem."

"I assumed it was, considering the smell in the drink." Aiden said, no longer as certain in his assessment as he had been moments before. "You believe it was something else?"

"Quite." Eve noted. "The state of the corpse is not consistent with such a poison."

"If I recall correctly, Devourer poison attacks the central nervous system." Coran said. "It replaces the potassium that allows for transfer of signals between nerve endings, and with a large enough dosage, can spread to the brain and terminate the functions of the lower brain stem."

"While I am not fully certain as to what our highness is talking about… I am in agreement that Devourer poison would not cause such a shriveling of the body so quickly after death. This tells me that it was something that affected the blood… as the skin and texture is consistent with being bled to death."

"But there are no discernable wounds." Aidan argued.

At that point, Coran was examining the mug that was believed to be the carrier of the poison that had killed Darrin. He was rubbing some sort of cotton tipped swabs along the inside of the ceramic mug, then wiping the swabs individually on a series of glass strips. From there, he dripped droplets of different colored liquids onto the glass, and studiously observed the results.

"Well, we can safely rule out Devourer poison." Coran finally said. "In fact, this mug wasn't poisoned at all."

"Are you certain? I could definitely smell…"

"Plague Devourer poison is occasionally, even by the most well trained noses, confused with decaying flesh." Coran said, at the same time raising one of the sides to show off a dull brown splotch staining the glass. "What you had smelled was thickened blood oxidizing… or should I say… drying and decaying with exposure to air."

"Which means Darrin had been poisoned _before_ taking his last drink." Eve concluded. "Perhaps he fell victim to a slow acting poison that attacked his blood, thickening it and making it impossible for his heart to bear the load."

"That would be my assumption as well… fortunately, I don't know of many poisons that act so slowly yet so fatally. Do you?"

Eve shook her head. "I personally can only think of one... and it is a difficult concoction that can take weeks to ferment properly. It requires several ingredients that would be hard to find here in Ascalon, as much of the greenery that is it is based on has been largely wiped out due to the Searing."

"All things considered, I know of three… and two of them are quite foreign, one originated by the druids of the Maguuma Jungle, and the other by the Kurzick faction of Cantha. I'm inclined to suspect the one we both share knowledge of to be the culprit, but I don't want to rule out the Canthan angle just yet."

"You think Cantha might be responsible?" Aidan asked.

"No… but considering that last night Devona was the focus of an attack by Canthan mercenary assassins, I don't want to outright dismiss the possibility that Canthan knowledge had a hand in this murder as well."

"Devona was attacked?" Aidan asked in alarm, a surprise that Cynn echoed outside of the chambers.

"It was nothing that Yuu and I couldn't handle." Devona said, flipping one hand dismissively as her other rubbed her eyes. She was suddenly feeling tired, perhaps the memory of the attack amplifying the fact that she hadn't been able to get much sleep on the carriage trip to Fort Ranik.

Truth being, she really didn't want to think about what had happened. Granted, in her travels, she had encountered innumerable foes, both beastly and sentient, that had sought to do her harm and even kill her. But there was something unnerving about being the focus of a _planned attack_, to have someone intentionally and foreknowingly _seek_ your specific demise.

"Well, nonetheless, whoever is responsible for this might try again." Cynn stated with uncharacteristic forethought and logic. "Until this matter is settled, I think I'll add my name to your list of shadows."

"That's hardly necessary, Cynn." The warrior replied.

"Perhaps not… but it certainly can't hurt to have more bodyguards both overt and covert." Mhenlo added. "For once, I'm in agreement with Cynn. I think I might just decide to have business to attend to that will keep me in relatively close proximity as well."

"We're not trying to protect you because we think you're weak, Devona." Aidan said, surprising her by no longer being in the chambers of the deceased nobleman. "We're your friends, and we don't want to think there was more we could do to help you."

"It's not that…" Devona admitted. "I guess this attack has reminded me of the reasons that I was scared to become queen… that someone would hate me so to send… someone to kill me…" Her words cracked slightly, and her friends mistook them as nervousness. The warrior's vision had abruptly started to blur, and a pain started to flash just under her stomach. Fatigue combined with a sense of queasiness building in her abdomen and the stinging pain to push her just on the edge of passing out.

Perhaps someone would have noticed her anguished cringe had Coran not entered the hall and drawn everyone's attention. The king rubbed his forehead and said, "I need to interview all the hired help of the manor, as well as get a list of all of Darrin's visitors. Hopefully by the evening meal, I'll have established a process of events to the crime and investigate suspects."

"Then am I free to…" Mhenlo began.

"Yes, you may perform your rites now, Mhenlo. Let's pray it's the last ones you have to perform today…"

Unfortunately, such rituals were forgotten as Devona suddenly buckled at the knees, and collapsed to the ground, falling lifeless into the swiftly forming web of arms that surged to catch her as she crumpled…


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty**

The following morning was bright and cloudless, a stark contrast to the heavy, somber mood within Fort Ranik. Even though Coran was certain as to the parties responsible and the method of the murder, even that closure would be unlikely to break that ghastly cloud, or indeed much of anything anytime soon.

"Your highness?" One of the Fort Ranik enlisted soldiers said as he stepped into the meeting hall. "Duke Maran has arrived, and I was told I was to bring him straight to you."

"Yes, of course." Coran said glumly, "Do let him in."

It was barely two breaths later that the Duke of Kyhlo stepped hastily through, looking rushed and dazed.

"Your highness, I returned as soon as I had heard the news of Darrin's death. To think that I had met him for lunch that afternoon to discuss further plans of Ascalon's restoration." Maran said forlornly. "And now…"

"Yes… I am fully aware of the shock it must have been. It surely was to me as well, I can promise you."

Maran licked his lips as he took a seat around around the corner of the table to Coran's right. "Your highness… while I know Darrin's passing likely weighs heavy on all the hearts of the whole of Ascalon... you seem distracted. Is there something else burdening you?"

Coran took a deep breath. "The Queen-in-waiting was attacked two nights ago by Canthan assassins."

"Prayers be to Dwayna… is she all right?"

Coran shook his head somberly. "We thought so… but she suffered internal wounds due to the combat, and… she collapsed soon after arriving here with me. The High Priest to be, Mhenlo, is doing all he can… but he… isn't optimistic that she'll recover. The wounds are deep and have been bleeding for so long… He's had to resurrect her twice in the last hour. He's certain she won't live to see this coming sunset…"

Maran slouched as if drained of life. "Your… highness… I…"

"Spare me your condolences." Coran muttered bitterly. "I've already had to deal with the shallow well-wishes pouring in from all the other nobles who had been so eager to force their oldest of age female kin on me."

"Well… since I have no children, rest assured I have no ulterior motives to wish you the best." Maran said with forced lightheartedness.

Coran smiled wanly, and several moments of silence hung between the two before Maran nervously spoke again.

"Your highness… I know this will sound forward and inappropriate… but I was wondering if you have given any thought to Darrin's replacement. I would understand if you hadn't, but considering the current state of the kingdom, and your own admitted narrow window if we wanted to see optimal results in the shortest time…"

"It would be in the nation's best interest to find a replacement quickly." Coran finished. "I understand fully, and it would be very selfish and unacceptable for the people to unduly suffer as I fight through my person grief. No offense is taken."

"I am glad to hear that…" The Duke of Kyhlo added. "And, again, I hope I am not speaking out of turn… but as I'm sure you know, I worked closely with Lord Darrin in the various restoration projects. I dare say, and again I hope I am not out of line to suggest this, that if I were to assume his position, in the grand scale of things, the process would suffer the slightest and be delayed the least."

"Are you saying you wish to take over for Darrin as my 'right hand'?" Coran asked dourly.

"Only if you deem it acceptable, of course… and it need not even be on a permanent basis… I'm willing to accept a demotion of sorts in case you find someone more suitable."

"The right hand isn't a permanent post by right anyway, Duke Maran." Coran interjected. "But you make sense at any rate. To be honest, you were the one I entertained as the logical successor anyway."

"I should have trusted your wisdom, your highness, and not tried to impose."

"You had the well-being of Ascalon at heart. Even if I had felt you had overstepped your grounds, I would have forgiven you for that." Coran said with a deeply burdened sigh. "I suppose there is no sense to draw this out then." He slipped his hand into the satchel at the foot of his chair, and slid a sheet of white paper and a shallow bowl that looked like an ink pool in front of the duke.

"Please place all five fingers of your right hand one at a time in the ink, and press them firmly onto the paper in order from thumb to end finger."

Maran blinked… and asked the obvious question. "Why?"

"I have locked information that can be accessed by analyzing the tips of an individual's finger. I need those prints so that I can set the records to recognize you and access them when you need."

"Oh… of course…" Maran said with a perplexed shake of his head, but dutifully followed his king's instructions.

"You can use the washroom over there to clean your hand. The ink will wash off with nothing but a little soap and water. I'll be right back once I set these prints into the records."

With that, the king stood and left Maran to clean up. Once the duke's fingers were washed, he returned and politely waited for Coran's return.

However, once the king entered the room again, he looked cross and angry, followed by a contingent of five of his Shade escorts, the trained assassins and bodyguards from the former Hylan colony. Maran blinked, and asked innocently, "Is something the matter… your highness?"

"Just some little things about the past two days that have bothered me up until now." The king grumbled as the Shades took flanking positions to Maran's back and sides. "You see… I had figured the one who hired the Canthan assassins was one of the Lord's Conclave. Only one within the Conclave would have known that Devona already officially carried the title of my 'left hand', even though the official ceremony to wed us had not yet been performed."

Maran's eyes darted back and forth between the Shades frightfully, "I'm not sure what that has to do with…"

"Even at the time, I found it curious that the Queen-to-be was the target of the assassins, and not myself. I made more sense once I learned of Lord Darrin's death. You see… I realized that the logical scheme was that whoever was responsible needed me alive… in order to promote him to my 'right hand'. The attack on Devona was intended to rid me of the 'left hand', and thus putting the new man at my 'right' as the direct heir to the crown. From there, it would be rather simple to arrange for another Canthan attack to correct the 'error' the first team had made, and eliminate their 'true' target. Likely the new king would then threaten war on Cantha… just to complete the ruse."

Maran's jaw dropped, "Are you suggesting that _I_ killed…"

Coran's jaw set angrily, and the king nodded to the Shades, who swiftly grabbed and immobilized the Duke. "I'm more than _suggesting_. I _know_ you're the one who poisoned Lord Darrin, and by proxy, tried to assassinate my bondmate."

Coran's scowl turned almost triumphant, "You seem to have forgotten I'm more intelligent and more learned than you would ever be in three lifetimes. I quickly identified the poison you used to kill Lord Darrin, an Ascalon necromancer concoction normally used to execute traitors to the Order of Grenth called The Kiss of Grenth's Blood. From there, I quickly sent a telegraphed message to Necromancer Munne at Sardelac Sanitarium to see if anyone had accessed the stores and withdrawn the items necessary to make that very complex poison. And one person did indeed... a Lady Gemma… I trust you know her."

Maran nodded dumbly. "Of course I do… in passing… Barradin's second daughter, if I remember correctly…"

"According to Munne, it's more than just passing. You had met with Lady Gemma several times over the past two months, and Munne's own minions brought visions of the two of you meeting with Canthans that Munne had initially assumed were traders at the time… but in light of recent events matched the description of one of the assassin mercenaries killed in the attempt on Devona's life. It wasn't much of a secret that Gemma fancied herself as my future wife when we were teenagers… and would have taken extra delight in my betrothed meeting an untimely death."

"I fail to see how that proves that I was responsible for either…"

"Duke Barradin, upon learning this, apprehended his daughter last night, and she eventually came clean with the entire sick plot. I learned about her confession about an hour before you arrived, in fact. However, I wanted one last piece of evidence linking you to the crime… and you unwittingly gave it to me."

"And what would that be?" Maran scowled, deciding to drop his innocent ploy of ignorance.

Coran raised the sheet of paper bearing Maran's fingerprints. "You probably weren't aware until I told you just a few minutes ago that each person has a unique pattern on the tips of their fingers, and that there are techniques that can be used to match those prints with individuals. One of the drudges I questioned noted that during your 'afternoon meal' with Darrin, you inexplicably offered to prepare the drinks yourself, using a bottle of white 'spice' you had recently acquired from Canthan traders that you wanted Darrin to try."

Coran paused to gather his breath, than continued, "The drudge remembered thinking it was rather odd that you only added the 'spice' to Darrin's drink, and that you seemed quite… vigorous… in attempting to dispose of the vial it came in. I located said vial, and lifted a set of remarkably clear prints; glass is very good for keeping the oils on our fingers in fingerprints, you see. It was little effort for me to take the prints you gave me, and match them with the ones on the vial, as well as correctly identify the residue inside it as the Kiss of Grenth's Blood poison Lady Gemma had brewed for you."

"I'm afraid to say that the evidence against you is quite damning, Duke Maran." Coran finished. "So damning, in fact, that I will allow the Lord's Conclave to convict you; rather than potentially bring up challenges of bias by having you executed right here on the spot. I just want to know one thing before I send you off. What were planning to do once you became king?"

Maran's eyes gleamed venomously, and he replied, "Whatever I wanted…"

Coran sighed, and as if suddenly no longer interested, waved a hand dismissively. "Take him away. The Ascalon Army should soon be by to transport him to Rin for judgment."

Maran was forcibly removed from the conference room, and his eyes bulged to see Devona waiting in the hall with her comrades in arms, her features taunting and triumphant.

Once the condemned nobleman had passed, she wasted no time slipping into the conference room, and embracing Coran. "So, I see you went with the 'my beloved is on her death bed' story…"

Coran gave a sideways smile and said, "It seemed the best way at the time to get him to incriminate himself, by appearing vulnerable and detached. However, to say I'm not concerned about you would be a lie."

"Your bondmate is quite well, Coran." Mhenlo said comfortably. "Her collapse was a result of stress, fatigue, and her recently discovered pregnancy, nothing more. I suspect she will be much more careful of her body with that knowledge."

"Quite." Devona said, her face beaming.

Coran kissed her gently, and exhaled his first happy breath of the day. Meanwhile Yuu added acerbically, "If I need to tie her down to keep her from overtaxing herself and eating improperly, then by Baththazar's sword, I'll do so."

The joyous mood however, didn't last, as a Shade quickly caught Yuu's ear, and the news the assassin had to relate dispelled the victory fresh in the room. "News from telegraph just came from Rin." Yuu began darkly, "Grazz has reported that the Charr are on the move, and he wants to report directly to you, Coran. Apparently, it's quite dire."


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter Thirty-One**

It took some creative wrangling from the Shades, but the assassin squad managed to slip the Charr exile through the main gates of the Great Northern Wall, through Rin, and into the Royal Palace, where they lead Grazz to his old friend.

"Slow down, old friend…" Coran said gravely as the Charr hastily whipped through a flurry of hand and arm signals, "It's been some time since I've practiced our signs."

Grazz sighed, and started gesturing again, slower and more deliberate. Devona, for a while, had attempted to learn the Shade sign language, with some success, and even though she was also out of practice, caught enough signs that she had a sense of great foreboding.

"Whoa… come again?" Coran said, his voice inflection dripping with disbelief, "How many Charr?"

Grazz repeated the signal phrase in question, causing Coran to stagger, and for Yuu, who was standing at the rear of the throne room, to widen her eyes. Cynn whipped her head about, surveying the scene then finally asked, "All right… what is going on? What are the Charr up to now?"

"They are preparing a march for Rin." Coran said, "It looks like they want to renew their war on Ascalon, and should arrive within five days."

"Okay… but we expected that, didn't we?" Cynn asked, trying to get to the meat of what had so startled all those with the ability to understand Grazz.

"Not fifty thousand of them." Yuu said with a soft drawl.

Now Cynn understood the problem. "No… that's not possible… there can't even be fifty thousand Charr in the northlands!" She declared. "It might be a large number… but how could… Grazz… be so sure…"

"Because the Charr align themselves by pack, and if I remember correctly, they always declare their number when called out or confronted. They would also do so to confirm their own manpower before beginning their march." Coran answered gravely, Grazz nodding to confirm the king's suspicions.

"But…" Cynn continued to protest, not so much because she doubted any of them more than a reluctance to believe what was inevitably coming.

"While Grazz isn't exactly my equal in terms of mathematic aptitude, he can perform adequate estimation and simple arithmetic with enough accuracy, especially in a case like this." Coran finished, his voice carrying a finality that implied he would accept no further denials from anyone. "I have no doubt that the number he gave is close enough to the truth to be of little consequence."

He returned his attention back to Grazz, and said, "Thank you for this report, my friend. And before you complain or refuse, you are not returning back to the Northlands. You've performed admirably well beyond what could be expected of you." The exiled Charr barked softly, but Coran raised his hand and asserted, "You don't have much say in the matter. You will remain here now, in the safety of Ascalon. I suspect you'll be of use later, and I can't afford to risk that trying to glean information that won't add much to what we already know."

"If what you are saying is true, he might just be safer in the Northlands." Aidan noted. "Those numbers are almost beyond comprehension… I can't imagine Rin, or even all of Ascalon, or perhaps even the entire continent standing long. The first Charr assault that overwhelmed these lands wasn't even a fifth of that number."

"We aren't retreating." Coran said determinedly.

That seemed very much out of character for the usually level headed monarch. "Coran, even Duke Barradin would balk at such a force coming our way. We should at least fall back to the Shiverpeak foothills, where King Ironhammer will be sure to supply assistance."

"You can send a messenger to Deldrimor if you wish." Coran said. "But reinforcements would not arrive in time. Rest assured that I have prepared for another Charr assault."

"But that many? Coran… I never thought you'd be stricken with pride like your brother…" Devona began.

"It has nothing to do with pride." Coran answered. "While the numbers are great, we can overcome them… and I know precisely how… just follow my instructions and we should be ready for them, and ready to turn aside the Charr no matter how large their army is."

When silence was his response, he began issuing orders. "Yuu, prepare the units on the wall, and make sure they are drilled properly. Have your Shades also make sure that there is enough ammunition, and to have the smiths working double time to produce more. I need at least four tons of powder, and roughly three thousand rounds of the ballistics I designed."

"Mhenlo, I need you to pass word onto Fort Ranik, and make sure that a similarly sized attack isn't coming their way. If not, have them make all available haste to Rin. Aidan, I need you to acquire Doric's Horn from the mouthpiece of Stormcaller. Once the three of you have completed those tasks, join Devona, Cynn, Grazz and I by midday at the south gates of Rin."

Devona arched her eyebrows in surprise at her inclusion, causing Coran to smile wanly.  
"My dear Devona, I am fully certain, despite your delicate condition, that you would fight me for hours if I were to tell you to remain here… and as cold at that may sound, I do not have hours to spend getting you to see reason. Just… try not to throw yourself needlessly into any potential harm."

"Why?" Cynn asked. "What are we doing?"

"We are going to recruit some more manpower."

Coran wouldn't tell them where they were going, but judging from their direction, almost due southeast, Devona guessed they were heading in the direction of Tranquility Temple, and towards the underground pass that lead towards the Forgotten Academy.

Thus, when the party stopped to make camp for the night, Devona felt it was important to relate one potential concern.

"Dear… there might be a problem." The warrior said.

Coran was instantly fully devoted to his betrothed. "What is it? Are you feeling sick again?"

"No… it's not that. I'm just noticing we're heading towards Tranquility Temple."

"Well, yes… we rather _have_ to in order to reach our destination."

"And that is the problem. You understand, we had to take the underground pass in order to find Sslani in our original search for you. In doing so… I fear we might have made adversaries with the Mron… the cat-like beings that seem to be imprisoned in those tunnels."

Coran laughed. "I see… well, firstly, even if that were the case, the underground pass you are thinking of is studiously patrolled and maintained by Arghazaz, one of Grenth's Lieutenants. I suspect you stirred his ire, and eventually the Mron's, because you were not granted entry into that passage like I am."

"And secondly?" Devona asked.

"Secondly, what I intend to do I can assure you will not anger that long-suffering race. In fact, it is my hope that they will be very receptive."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the camp, Mhenlo had unfurled and smoothed out his bedroll, making sure all was properly in place for his nightly meditation routine and eventual slumber.

But meditations and slumber did not appear to be in his immediate future, especially as a firm yet slender hand caught him by the collar, and pulled him insistently towards the far periphery of the camp, and onto a slight decline towards the river the party had been following, where he slid on his back to a tenuous stop.

He didn't need to ask what was going on… nor did his abductor provide one before sliding partially on top of him and dropping her soft, rosy lips onto his. Part of him enjoyed the sensation completely, and for a moment, he even gave in, joining his partner in an insistent duel of mouths.

But the other part of him, the part that tired of this game, soon asserted itself, and he pushed Cynn away, perhaps a little more harshly than he had intended. The elementalist looked disconcerted, but her voice remained husky, "Hey, monk, what's wrong?"

Mhenlo sat up disdainfully. "I cannot… no, I will not… keep doing this."

Cynn now looked genuinely hurt. "Why? Did I do something?"

"It's what you're not doing." The monk answered. "I understand you've been hurt and scared of love… but I can't help but think you're embarrassed of me."

"Em… embarrassed?" She denied, "Why… would I…?"

"Then why is it whenever we're in public, you won't even regard me by my _name_? Why do you adamantly deny any interest in me when asked? I can't get within ten feet of you in any social setting where others are about."

Cynn sat up as well, her face down in shame. "Mhenlo… I… I don't know…"

"Well, until you figure out why… I can't keep doing this. I need more than to be your secret toy. I'll admit, it's mostly my fault. I encouraged you for far too long."

At that point, Cynn's acerbic spirit kicked in, and she defiantly turned her back to him with arms crossed. "Fine. Maybe I am embarrassed of you. You should have been grateful that someone like me would feel sorry enough for you to give you some degree of pleasure in your droll, pathetic life."

"Is that right?" Mhenlo asked slyly.

"Right. Stupid monk doesn't know a good thing when he sees it." The elementalist grumped.

Mhenlo fought back a chuckle, and managed to make his voice sound perfectly serious as he stood and said, "Actually, I _do_ know a good thing when I see it… which is why I want more of it."

As he walked back towards the camp, Cynn sighed forlornly, finding herself fixated on Coran and his queen-to-be, nestled comfortably against each other as he was pointing up at the sky for reasons she couldn't discern.

She resented how open they could be about their relationship. This wasn't easy for her, after all. The elementalist sighed again, wondering if she'd ever be able to share her life with someone that way…

Fittingly enough, another young woman was watching the scene with envy… but without the same disdain as Cynn. She forced herself to look away, and back on Grazz, who seemed to be doing everything he could to keep her attention.

"I'm sorry, Grazz… could you repeat that?" Yuu said in apology.

The Charr again repeated his signals, and Yuu was about to respond when Aidan's voice behind her replied, "Yes, it is a beautiful night."

Yuu slowly turned to regard the ranger, and said, "I wasn't aware you knew his signing."

"When Coran explained that Grazz's communication was derived from general Ascalon scout hand signals, it didn't take me long to put it together. I'm still no expert, but I can gather general context and meaning."

"I see."

"You, on the other hand, I can't figure out… and I'm not just talking about signs."

The assassin huffed, "Was that some sort of awkward come on? You know my story, so I don't see why you bother."

"You're assuming false." Aidan answered, sliding to a cross-legged sit and nodding appreciatively to Grazz as if asking for permission. The Charr shrugged, and nodded before focusing a wary look at Yuu.

"Am I? Men want two things from women. I can provide neither."

"One would think all those years around Coran would have changed that opinion." Aidan said, then nervously added, "Unless… he…"

Yuu shook her head. "No. He didn't make a pass at me. Even in Hylan, he was far too smitten with yon." She pointed lazily at Devona. "Talked about his 'warrior princess' incessantly if you gave him half the opportunity… and some nonsensical scientific muck the other half."

Aidan laughed mutely. "Well, at any rate, I have no interest in seeking you as some sort of sexual conquest. For I too, cannot do so."

That caused Yuu's eyebrows to lift inquisitively. "Is that right? Accident or genetic?"

Aidan shook his head. "Neither. I suppose I _could_, if I wanted to… but I cannot allow my shamed line to bear another generation." Seeing Yuu and Grazz's quizzical expressions, he said, "Well… I suppose since I have learned intimate secrets of both of you, it's only fair I share one of mine, correct?"

He glanced nervously through the campfire at Devona, who was oblivious to the outside world, looking up as Coran pointed out stars. "I just ask you do not tell this to Devona… for my secret would grievously wound her, I fear."

Seeing the silent complacency in his audience, he said, "I'm not sure how familiar you are with the Guild Wars, most notably the attack on Khylo. But, what everyone had wondered for so long is how a guild from Orr could have managed to slip undetected through miles upon miles of Ascalonian territory. I'd wager that now, I'm the only one who knows the truth."

His audience remained silent, allowing him a moment to pause and gather more breath. "About two years before the Searing, I discovered this said truth. The Orrian guild that attacked Kyhlo had… purchased a guide to get them to Kyhlo so they could attack the base of Ascalon's Chosen, which Devona's father was the leader of. That guide had been my father."

"When I confronted him with that fact, he eventually admitted it. In anger, in rage, or perhaps some other reason, I killed him; struck him down while he was defenseless and asking for my forgiveness. I could not believe that my own father was responsible for the death of my friend's father."

He took another breath and released it forlornly. "After that, came the shame, and my vow. I would never bear a child… I would not continue the treasonous line that bore me. And that is where I am now; the last of my family, and intending to remain that way."

"You have the stupid honor of a Canthan." Yuu grumbled.

"That may be… but that is the path I chose to take, and why I feel for those who never even get that choice." He said, drawing out a half empty bottle of ale from his backpack, and taking a hearty gulp of the liquid before holding it out for Yuu. "For the outcasts and the exiles, in body and mind, I drink to them."

Yuu flashed a sardonic, lopsided grin before taking the bottle, and following suit. "To the last moments of peace these exiles and outcasts will have, before the battle is sure to quicken." She said as she held the bottle out to Grazz.

The Charr took the bottle then started to make a sign before realizing that he couldn't while holding it. His eyes darted between ranger and assassin, uncertain as to what to do.

Yuu finally said with a chuckle, "Just drink the damn ale, you silly sack of fur."


	32. Chapter 32

Author's Note: A couple people have asked this, and it occurred that I hadn't made note of it in the story like I had initially planned, so for the sake of those people (and any others who may have wondered), a belated explanation.

Yuu? Is it pronounced "You", or something else? When I had designed the character template for her, I knew she was going to be a Canthan, and decided to toy with the concept of dialects in her character.

In my interpretation, the Canthan dialect has a peculiar quirk when it comes to double vowels. In such a situation, the double vowel produces an abrupt additional unwritten vowel sound, spoken almost as if the speaker had forgotten and suddenly slapped it on the end. In the cases of "aa", "ii", and "oo", an "ă" sound is applied; while in the case of "ee" and "uu", an "ā" sound is put on the end.

So, in the case of Yuu, her name would be pronounced (**_yu_**-ā). I hope that clears up some confusion.

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

Devona, Cynn, Mhenlo, and Aidan all had memories of where they were standing right now. Those memories led to other memories that weren't exactly pleasant. While Devona had already made her concerns clear the night before, the other three felt the need to weigh in as they realized just exactly where they were going.

"Are you sure there isn't a better way to get to the Forgotten Academy?" Cynn asked. "The snake used a teleporter pad to help us get back here… couldn't you do the same thing?"

"Firstly, I doubt it. The technology and science used to maintain and repair those devices are well beyond even my knowledge." Coran answered, "Secondly, we aren't going to the Forgotten Academy."

"Then what are we doing here?" She asked.

"I have an audience to make with a certain Lieutenant of Grenth." The king answered, and strode confidently into the shadowy archway so resolutely that even Yuu was taken a bit by surprise, and had to dash to catch up.

"Coran…" Aiden began as the group again gathered, this time in front of the monarch, "I'm not sure if Devona informed you, but we have likely angered…"

"The Mron? Oh, I'm sure." Coran interrupted, nonplused. "But I'm not terribly worried. I suspect they won't object to me, and even if they do, Arghazaz will make sure their schemes do not get very far."

"You sound very confident of your status of importance in my eyes." The echoing growl of the Lieutenant of Grenth boomed. Its burning eyes and patchwork visage emerged from the darkness, hunched over in the tunnel.

"My, I am surprised to see you so far out of your lair." Coran responded, astonishingly staunch in the beast's intimidating presence. "Have the Mron made a significant number of escape attempts recently?"

"No more than usual." Arghazaz replied. "But they have been quite agitated over the last handful of months… mostly due to the arrival of the Ascendants behind you."

"Well, if you would care to arrange for a meeting with their senior queen and myself in your chamber, I suspect I will cure that agitation." Coran said, his voice losing its lightness.

Silence hung in the tunnel in the form of a significantly pregnant pause before finally the Lieutenant of Grenth acknowledged, "Very well… I will have some of my minions… request her presence. With any luck, she will respond willingly."

"Whether willing or not doesn't terribly concern me at the moment. I am in somewhat considerable haste."

"You aren't Mer." Coran noted as the Mron procession tentatively entered Arghazaz's grand chamber.

"Asute, human." The catwoman, a young specimen with a purring voice and rich, healthy coat said with remarkably sound Basic. "I knew you were smart, but I never knew the bounds of your intelligence."

Coran's features broke out in a welcome smile, and he said, "As vapid as ever, aren't you Arro? I assume your presence here means you have taken your mother's place as senior queen of the pride?"

"Not officially." Arro answered. "My mother simply is not fit for much unnecessary travel. These last few months have been hard on her… she honestly thought freedom was finally within our reach. I fear she is losing her will to live."

"You two… know each other?" Devona asked.

"Indeed." Coran replied. "It had taken quite a bit of effort on Sslani's part to convince Arghazaz here to allow Arro part-time study in the Forgotten Academy."

As if ignoring the king, Arro's slit eyes narrowed as she regarded Coran's companions. "While I hold no quarrel with you; I do disapprove of your nerve, Coran… bringing these people back here."

"It was not your time to be free of the mountains yet, Arro." Coran declared in defense of his company. "And it was quite duplicitous of your mother to put them in such a loaded situation. But, nonetheless, that is no longer important. I hold the key to your people's freedom, and am willing to use it right now."

Argazaz's red eyes opened just slightly wider, and Devona noted that the Lieutenant of Grenth's curiosity was piqued as Arro said warily, "While in the course of our study, I sensed you to be somewhat of an altruist… I highly suspect you have an ulterior motive for this offer."

"As manipulative as it sounds, I do… and I'm afraid I cannot allow the Mron to go free unless you agree to that stipulation." Coran affirmed, his face twisting apologetic.

"Considering the squalor my people have lived in, I highly doubt that whatever you would ask of us would be considerably worse."

"My kingdom is about to be besieged by an army of Charr in numbers almost beyond comprehension. I'm certain Ascalon can be victorious nonetheless, but we need all the manpower we can muster in its defense. If we turn back the invading force, freedom will at last be yours."

"Why did you even bother to summon me? You know almost as well as I how desiring my kind is to roam free beneath the sun rather than stuffed in these caves. For a man who claimed to be in haste from the message given to me, you certainly have no issues squandering my time. So, whatever it is you have to convince this monstrosity to finally leave my people in peace, do so that I can confirm it and have the Mron mobilized as quickly as possible."

"Yes… do…" Arghazaz said, leaning forward in his massive throne. He seemed almost… hopeful, yet wary… as if Coran wasn't the first to try and beseech the Mron's freedom.

"Aidan, may I have the horn?" Coran asked, holding out his hand while keeping his eyes fixed upward on the Lieutenant of Grenth.

Aidan nodded, almost reverently parting the fine silk that had been wrapped around the object before gently putting it in square in Coran's palm. The king's fingers clenched around the rough, discolored ivory, then raised it up for Arghazaz's scrutiny. "This is the Horn of King Doric, my ancestor, and bound guardian of the Bloodstones."

"While perhaps remotely enthralling to mortal lives, I fail to see how that matters to anything." The Lieutenant of Grenth said with a tired sigh.

"On its own, nothing. But this horn actually is the mouthpiece of a larger horn perched on the plateau outside of Rin… a horn called Stormcaller." Coran's cheeks turned upward slightly as he noted Arghazaz's interest return. "And, perhaps more appropriately, in the tongue of the ancient forgotten, King Doric's full name is occasionally translated as 'Stormlord'."

"So you are contending…"

"I am the Heir of Storms, Arghazaz… and I am taking responsibility of the Mron as per the prophecy."

Arghazaz rapped his hands on the rests of his throne anxiously, "There is more than just some quaint tricks of translation and a pithy name of an oversized instrument that was to herald the Heir of Storms."

"I'm aware, and I assure you, and I've already done it. I'd go into further explanation, but I fear the lecture would possibly soar over even your head. I've identified the Hand of the Gods… I'd show you, but I fear the lecture might be even above your head. Sslani will know what I'm talking about."

"Thank my dark master… I was growing tired of this constant sentinel." The Lieutenant of Grenth said. "I won't burden myself with checking your claim; if you wish to be the Heir of Storms, so be it. At last, I can return to my god's side, and leave this dirty world of mortals to themselves."

The gigantic monstrosity stood, and with a startling burst of bright orange fire, disappeared with a plume of black, pungent smoke that caused the mortal audience to cough violently. Cynn had turned away to find some fresh air in order to see the Lieutenant's undead constructs collapse in rotting heaps just as the smoke vanished into nothing.

Arro blinked twice, patted down the sides of her fur to lay flat some tufts that had stood on end, then with her same reserved, aristocratic tone, declared, "I shall return to my people, and inform them of the wonderful news. I suspect it won't even be an hour before we are ready to leave this damnable hole."

She and her escorts left hastily, and their bright, energized footsteps belayed the joy that Arro's tone of voice did not.

"Now, while this may seem like a little late to ask… this is not the first time many of us have heard the name 'Heir of Storms'." Mhenlo said. "I believe the Lieutenant of Grenth mentioned it was one of Glint's prophecies…"

"It is." Coran said. "Glint had, and I believe still _has_, many prophecies… but the one that got the most attention among the Forgotten people were the Elements Quatrain. Four prophecies that weren't so much related except that Glint prescribed an element to each of them. I suspect the four of you are already familiar with the Flameseeker, otherwise known as the lich formerly Vizier Khilbron. But there is also the Seascourge, which is popularly believed to be Shiro Tagachi of Cantha; the Holder of Earth, who is yet to be defined, and finally the Heir of Storms… myself."

"You sound rather certain of your place in prophecy." Devona said.

Coran stared vacantly down the tunnel that Arro and her escorts had nearly charged down, and he said with surprising grimness, "I fear there's no doubt about it anymore. But come along, I'd rather not waste time just in case Arro's claims of the Mron's quick preparations prove accurate."


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

"Your highness!" Barradin declared when he had identified Coran in the party entering Rin's south gate. "You should have been more clear as to where you were going and when you would return!"

"I apologize, Barradin." Coran replied. "It was a bit of a spur of the moment thing, and I wasn't certain how long my task would take."

"Yes… which brings me to my next question. Just… who is… that? Have you taken a Charr prisoner?"

"He is no prisoner." Coran said darkly, even as Barradin wouldn't have been able to tell Grazz from any other of his fiendish kind. "This Charr was the one who saved my life in the Northlands, brought me to relative safety in the Hylan Colony, and risked his own life to deliver us information about the coming invasion force. I dare say he is as loyal to me as you are, and deserves the proper respect."

Barradin reared back, astonished by the forceful tone in the king's voice. "I… very well. I'll pass the word along, and perhaps it might be a good idea for you to somehow… mark… this Charr as an ally… just in case."

"I hadn't thought of that." Coran admitted, and turned to Grazz as if asking silent permission. To his credit the Charr nodded, and signed in affirmation, expecting such an indicator would be necessary.

"One final question, if I may, my king." Barradin asked, pointing again over Coran's shoulder. "Who, exactly, are they…?"

Coran didn't need to follow the Duke's finger to know who he was referring to. "They are recruits for our cause; roughly five thousand, almost all of them able enough in body to fight. Which brings me to one question of my own… have we identified the coming Charr, and if so, how long do we have?"

Barradin licked his lips nervously. "We have located the advancing army, and your information was proven to be correct… although now I understand that there was no reason to doubt you. The numbers have proven to be beyond what our scouts can count… and from last reports, they were no more than a day's hard march from Rin."

"Okay… I can't imagine that they'd press themselves, but in case I'm wrong, we'll need to make sure everything is in place by tomorrow morning. Yuu, make sure the artillery on the wall is ready, and have your Shades collect whatever the smiths have completed by next sunrise. Barradin, I trust you have gathered all able bodied men and women from the surrounding area?"

"Yes, I have, your highness… although outfitting them was difficult considering the tasks you already set upon the smiths."

"Outfit the strongest ones first, and assign the rest to running supplies and messages. Was Fort Ranik able to respond?"

"Yes, sir. All is quiet on that front, and three regiments could be spared to Rin."

"Good."

"There's more good news, if I may…"

Coran raised an eyebrow. "I could use all of it I could…"

"That would be me." A graveled voice said, startling Coran, and forcing him to note the dwarf that had seem to materialize next to him. "Budger Blackpowder, at your service. King Ironhammer thought my expertise might be useful with the powder you're using. Our scouts noted movements in the Charr ourselves, and thought to lend the aid we could to our friends in the east."

Coran smiled wanly, knowing that King Ironhammer wasn't so much interested in helping Coran refine the process as to learn more about Coran's innovations. "As much as this may sound callous, I'm quite confident in my own knowledge, and see no reason why your experience will be needed."

"Hmm… very well then, I guess I'll inform General Hurmon Redbeard that he and his forces aren't needed either…" Budger said.

Coran frowned… realizing the trap, if you will. "Very well…" the Ascalonian king said warily. "I suppose since your people are already here… I can put you to some use. Aidan, escort our friend Blackpowder to the smiths if you could." When the ranger nodded, Coran added in a whisper, "Pass word to the smiths to make sure his hands and eyes _remain_ on the powder."

He took a deep breath, and said, "Barradin, assemble an estimate of our manpower, and have it delivered to my chambers as soon as possible. I need to gather my thoughts after our travel."

Coran was looking over that estimate two hours later, finding it remarkable how organized the forces must have been for Barradin to assemble these numbers as quickly as he did. Because of his attention, he never noticed Devona enter their chambers until she asked, "So… what is the count?"

"There are seven thousand, two hundred, twenty-five active and able for combat among the Ascalon and Deldrimor Armies; and Arro reports that four thousand, nine hundred, and sixteen of her people are prepared."

"Twelve thousand." Devona said with some quick estimation. "If Grazz's estimates are true, we're still looking at forces that outnumber us roughly four to one. In addition, we don't know much about our Mron allies, how sturdy they are, their courage…"

"If Arro is any indicator, they'll be staunch regardless of the opponent. I'm not worried of the numbers of our foe either. By the time the Charr reach the wall, that ratio will be much closer to even. In fact, I'm quite pleased… I wasn't expecting Deldimor being able to respond, and my estimates of the Mron numbers was also considerably lower than they turned out to be."

"Never be so certain. Numbers don't always tell the whole story come battle." Devona warned, tapping the hell of her left foot against the toe of her right.

"Yes… I've been made painfully aware how unpredictable combat can be." Coran said. "Perhaps it's time I gathered the courage to make this request before it's too late."

"I will not be on the front lines." Devona said, her voice slightly regretful.

Coran seemed not to hear her right away. "I know you are a warrior, and you've chafed against anything that might be deemed as 'special privilege', but I don't think anyone would begrudge you considering… huh… what did you say?"

Devona allowed herself the slightest smile. "I said, as much as it may pain me… I will not ask to be placed on the front lines. I'm more than aware of my delicate condition, dear one, and I cannot place the life entrusted to me at risk unnecessarily. I hope that you are right, and that my friends and our people understand."

Coran exhaled gratefully. "Sometimes I forget you are far more logical than the few warriors I knew among my family and acquaintance."

Devona then raised a finger, and amended, "However, I will be prepared for combat in case I am needed. As long as the Charr remain beyond the wall, I will stand back, but the moment one of those creatures sets foot in Rin, I will defend my home."

"I'll submit to that concession… I just pray it doesn't come to that. Because if it does, I'm afraid the fall of Rin and Ascalon will not be far behind."

"My father told me that often the toughest part of battle is waiting for the battle when you know its coming." Yuu said, her eyes turned towards the north, as if hoping to see some sign of the Charr. "I think I'm coming to understand what he meant. I actually think there will be a part of me glad to see the Charr marching toward us… to finally cast an end to all this infernal uncertainty."

"You may take that back when you actually see them." Aidan disagreed. "They are going to outnumber us several times over. I'll be perfectly blunt when I say I don't see what our wise king sees. How can any weapon counter those sheer numbers?"

"I'm not entirely certain how myself." Yuu said, "But I do know that Coran's knowledge gave us protections that kept our colony safe for more than two years against a foe that would have easy rolled over us had all things been normal. Thus, I have no doubt that when Coran says these weapons are vastly more powerful than anything Tyria has seen since the time of the gods, I'll believe him."

They both instinctively turned to the tarp covered object not even six feet from them. "Your Shades have been up here a lot lately running drills on these weapons from what I hear. Just what are these things?"

"I'm not supposed to tell you…" Yuu said with a sigh. "Coran's ordered it, even though I'm not entirely certain why he's being so secretive." She pursed her lips, then grinned mischievously, "Ah, you're a discreet person… you really want a preview? I'll tell you right now, they don't look all that impressive."

The assassin looked about quickly to make sure no one was looking then pulled the tarp halfway down the object. Aidan's eyes narrowed, and his face turned quizzical before Yuu replaced the leather cover. "I told you." She said with a smirk, then turned her gaze back to the north.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

The first horns of battle sounded nary two hours after sunrise… starting the royal couple and their self-appointed bodyguard as the three were finishing their breakfast. Food and drink were thus forgotten in their haste to reach the wall.

Devona took her place at the head of the reserve squadron, located in the rear of the lines while Coran and Yuu charged up the stairs to the top of the wall. As the main gates of Rin opened, the main army began to march out beyond the wall, the reserve line remained in place, and Devona ordered the doors shut once the main army had fully departed.

She critically examined the scant hundred reservists behind her, and silently agreed with Coran's estimation. If the main army was overrun… there wouldn't be much these scrawny, ill-trained, and ill-prepared men and women would be able to do to halt the invasion. It would be a rout if the Charr brought anything even remotely close to even numbers through the wall.

She then cast a voiceless entreaty to Balthazar that the weapons Coran had built would truly be up to the task as claimed.

* * *

Coran and Yuu reached the top of the wall, and were momentarily speechless by the sight on the horizon. It was a veritable swarm of Charr, the ends of the lines barely visible on both sides, and with rows that still had yet to reach a visible end. 

"Gods save us… that's not fifty-thousand." Yuu noted in awe.

"They must have picked up more on their march while our eyes were elsewhere... considerably more." Coran noted; having done some quick estimation himself and reaching the same conclusion as his assassin friend. "But it doesn't matter. Yuu, make sure Grazz is at his post on the third artillery then take your place at the second."

Yuu nodded, and dashed eastward across the top of the wall. Coran waited for her signal that both her and Grazz were in position, then took the speaking horn that was resting in wait for him at his feet. Taking a deep breath, she shouted to the main army below, "Hold your position until I give the charge!"

He then called down the wall top, "Ready all artillery… load incendiary shot with full charges and wait for the mark from your firing leaders."

Finally, the tarps covering the weapons came off officially for the first time. As Yuu had once claimed… they did not look particularly impressive. Nothing more than thick steel tubes in appearance, with one open circular end pointing to the north, a domed south end with a small hole at the top. The hollowed tubes sat on a rotating fixed base, with two prongs on the base extending upward to hook to the tube on each side roughly three-quarters down the north end.

The Shade teams began their work, dropping a black iron ball into the hole on the north end, and pushing it down with a long pole padded on one end while a second Shade poured black powder from a hide bag into the hole with a funnel.

"Yuu, Grazz, wait for my first team to discharge, then fire as able until I call the halt! Do not order a discharge unless you are absolutely certain you have firing calculations in place" Coran ordered. "Remember the rotations, and fire when each team is ready. Discipline is foremost!"

With his orders in place, he dropped the horn then took a telescopic lens where it had been clasped at his belt, extended it to its full length, and toyed with the focus until he could see the Charr army clearly. Once done, he started doing the calculations for distance and timing when they would be within maximum firing range.

"All teams… set vertical angle to forty degrees." Coran said, hearing the clunks of the base prongs as it locked and unlocked into each gradient set within the base. When he heard silence indicating that they had done their task, he then added, "Set lateral angle to one hundred."

This time, the scraping of the base itself turning followed the order, and again silence. Coran smiled maliciously. The Charr would never expect an attack actually able to hit them from more than a mile away. It would be a rude awakening, and perhaps break their ranks even more than what will be killed from the blasts.

The cannons remained silent for three more minutes until Coran was satisfied the first line of Charr were within range. "First team… ready… _fire!_"

* * *

Barradin did not like waiting… and did not fully understand why they were holding their position. Coran was not a warrior... and clearly did not understand that if they waited until the Charr were this close to the wall to charge, then the spell casters would be in range to wreak havoc both on and even inside the wall.

Aiden, Cynn, and Mhenlo appeared to share that same nervous concern. Barradin had been somewhat surprised that Devona was not with them… until Cynn explained that she didn't dare join the front lines while being with child.

Barradin had, of course, been overjoyed by that news on several levels, but a continuation of the royal line was rather moot if they didn't hold back the Charr… and that met that the army had to march out to meet the foe before they were in range of the wall.

As a matter of fact, the Grand Armsmaster was about to defy his king's order and call out a forward march when he heard Coran's voice call for a "fire"... then another sound, far louder and far more frightening.

Barradin had never heard a dragon's roar, but he figured the unnatural bursts of angry explosive sound probably would have been remarkably close. The reverberating cacophony nearly deafened him, and caused him to cringe… almost causing him to miss the result of the firing.

He could barely see the advancing Charr line from his position then it was as if the earth burst upward with flaming fingers that completely engulfed his vision of the horizon. Another unholy roar of sound filled his ears from the point of explosion, and caused the mighty Duke to literally cringe in startled fear. What… had just happened.

But that was only the start of his astonished terror. For when the smoke cleared, it was as if an unseen beast the size of Rin itself had decided to take a bite out of the Charr army, huge clusters of dead and dismembered scattered within the ranks. The panicked sounds starting to flutter through the open battlefield suggested the Charr were as surprised as the allied army to their south.

What sort of magic… was that? The power... power of pure destruction… just one word and one unleashed spell had obliterated almost the entire forward line of the Charr. Another call from Coran, heralded another ear-splitting roar, and another plume of angry earth and fire ripped into the lines.

Then the top of the wall became a near never ending stream of violent sound. Terrified, Barradin found himself instinctively backing away, and it was only the fact that everyone behind him was doing exactly the same that kept him from tripping over someone else.

Nonetheless, he did eventually reach a point where he couldn't back up further, and so he resorted to falling to a kneeling position, covering the top of his eyes with his left arm as the inhuman barrage continued to roar from above. The battlefield was soon filled with dust and smoke, the smell of burning flesh and scorched earth reached his nose… scents that hearkened back the unpleasant memories and horrors of the Searing.

But this… this… was worse. People managed to avoid the falling shards of the Searing, had managed to escape the burning of the lands and homes. There was no escaping the roar… and from what little he could see through the debris, Barradin had no idea how _anything_, be it man or Charr, could survive the unseen hands pounding and tearing the earth… not to mention anything that happened to be in its way.

He uttered a prayer to Dwayna, hoping for protection from whatever creature of fire and abyss his king had just unleashed on the Charr.

* * *

Coran had called for a temporary hold to the barrage, his lower jaw loose. He had thought he had understood the power he was harnessing… he had thought he knew just what he was going to see.

He had been wrong.

The front fifth of the Charr army was… to put it bluntly… not there. And the other four-fifths of the army were understandably frightened and/or deeply startled by that observation. The land in front of the Charr was a pockmarked, blackened mess… somehow even _more_ desolate than it had been before.

But even more disturbing was after all that, the lines started advancing again, marching (if tentatively) into cannon range… into that maelstrom of concentrated death and destruction. It took Coran a minute or so to acknowledge the advance, but by the time he did, he was again completely focused on the business at hand.

"All artillery, reload and be at ready! Firing leaders, adjust calculations according to the advance!" Coran called into his horn then turned to his teams. "All teams, set full charges, and ready for my orders!"

It was short order for Coran to make the necessary adjustments, and for the cycle of teams to again start opening fire on the Charr army. Once back in the zone of battle, Coran found himself glad that his cannons were exceeding his expectations. The Charr were still advancing over the horizon, and they would probably need every last bit of firepower he and his artillery could muster.

Again, the battlefield became a fog of dust, smoke, and rent pieces of flesh. It spoke volumes to the tenacity of the invaders that they walked even halfway willingly into a suicide field, where maybe one of every three Charr made it through the barrage. What could possibly compel them to act with such abandon?

The forward lines began to run, and Coran knew that soon they would break through. He turned to his messenger, and said, "Deliver word to Duke Barradin to begin his charge the instant the cannons go quiet once again."

As the young boy skipped down the steps of the wall, Coran hoped that they will have done enough to win the day.


	35. Chapter 35

We're nearing the end... I _promise_...

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

"When the… what… stop?" Barradin asked.

"The cannons." The messenger repeated, merely a boy barely past his early teens. "Those things on the wall. You're to charge when they stop firing."

"Cannons, eh?" The Warmaster said. "All right then, about time we make our move." He took a deep breath, then bellowed as loud as he could, "Pass the word. When this infernal hellfire stops, we make our charge!"

The order slowly worked its way to the ranks, from the Ascalonian army to the Mron pride on the right flank, and the dwarven regiment to the left. Through the smoke and dust, Barradin began to see the outlines of Charr successfully navigating the barrage, and tightened his grip on his hammer. It likely wouldn't be long now.

Cynn also was starting to get a little anxious. About time they actually got to _do_ something. "You ready, monk?" She asked Mhenlo, who was standing behind her, then remembered that she was supposed to be angry with him. "Not that it matters, of course."

"Of course it doesn't." Mhenlo answered, "But I'm ready at any rate."

Aiden had been at work preparing arrows that he figured he'd need, and making sure that there weren't any rocks imbedded in his boots that might interfere with his footing, so he had a reason to pretend not to pay attention to the childish banter that was about to erupt. Some things just never seem to change… even if you've seen each other naked, he guessed.

"Hmph!" Cynn huffed. "You better be. I trust personal issues won't interfere with your divine purpose."

"If you need mending, I will provide it as always." Mhenlo answered calmly. "My feelings have not changed."

"Keep dreaming, little boy."

Fortunately, their dialogue was stopped not by noise, but by silence. The cannons that had been erupting destruction from the top of the wall went silent, and Barradin raised his hammer with one loud bellow, signaling for the allied troops to begin their charge into the battlefield.

Now, Cynn had figured she was pretty fast. Not sprinting fast like Devona, but the girl could run pretty quickly. At least, up until the Mron clan blew by in a flurry of feline activity like she had been standing still. The cat people had fallen to their hands and feet, chewing up distance like a pack of wolves on a fresh kill.

They crashed into the Charr lines like storm waves off a dockside, erupting into a flourish of violent activity with such pure ferocity that on their own they had completely halted the front flank of the Charr. And once the humans arrived, the push was actually being countered… and once the Dwarven regiments reached the line… it looked like the rout was on.

Nonetheless, the feral army did eventually stall the push, and their numbers again began to assert their control. Barradin saw the turning of the tide, but then again, he had been expecting it. Brave and strategic as he was, he knew they would not be able to sustain their charge against an enemy that still looked to outnumber them twice over.

He also noticed that the Charr flank had split, and a second front was forming to the east, hoping to take the allied forces from the side. Nonetheless, his charge had done what he had set out to accomplish… forcing back the Charr into the cannon zone… where no doubt Coran would unleash another barrage of destruction upon the Charr hoping to cut down the retreating allies.

"All units, fall back!" The Warmaster cried. "Fall back to the wall and regroup!"

To his immense relief, he discovered that even the Mron were obeying his orders, and the allied line receded from the battle line, turning full and making as quick of haste as they could back towards the wall. As expected the Charr charged forward, but not before the allies had managed to gain the slight clearance Coran would need to safely fire the cannons... assuming Coran was tactical enough to understand the feint… but he saw no reason to think why his king couldn't put it all together.

Barradin was so immensely pleased with himself that he didn't even realize that two people were no longer right next to him…

* * *

Barradin had been right, as Coran almost immediately saw Barradin's plan even before the Duke called the retreat.

Picking up his horn, he called out, "All units! Reload with solid shot, three-quarter charges! Firing leaders; prepare solutions and fire when ready!"

With that said, Coran dropped his horn again and began making his calculations. "Vertical angle… thirty-five degrees! Lateral angle… ninety-six degrees!"

Making one more sweep with his telescopic lens to wait for the Charr to be in optimal range, spying a heavy clump of foes forming in his vision that he was targeting, he ordered, "Team One… ready…"

Then, he spotted why the Charr in that area were clumping, and the telescopic lens nearly fell out of his hand. He quickly gathered up his horn, and brought it to his lips to quickly order a cease fire… but before the words even came out, the roar of cannon fire from Yuu's section drowned him out. By the time he was able to call out the order, both of Yuu and Grazz's first team had delivered their deadly payload.

* * *

"Come on, you filthy, stinky scrapings off a Titan's foot!" Cynn shouted, seemingly oblivious to Barradin's call for retreat. She punctuated her exclamation with a ball of fire, then a burst of flame as two Charr sought to flank her.

A third foe's axe bit into her shoulder, but before the elementalist could even cry out in pain, the wound closed with a gentle, soothing phantom touch and wisps of bright blue energy.

"Cynn, we're supposed to fall back!" Mhenlo yelled over the sounds of battle.

"Yeah, I know… ever heard of covering the retreat?" She responded loudly.

"Barradin has several specialists no doubt more capable for that task." The monk answered, with a hand on her shoulder.

She shrugged him off then turned on him with an angry glare, momentarily forgetting the Charr. "Are you saying I'm not capable?"

"No, I am not… I am saying you have far greater uses than possibly throwing your life away in a potentially needless effort."

She blind cast an Immolate spell that set a potential attacker ablaze, and sending the Charr stumbling harmlessly aside with an inhuman wail. "Were you planning to be so demanding and dominating if we were ever married?" She snarled.

"Merely being assertive. I thought that was what you wanted."

"Well, I don't!" She shouted back. "If I choose to kill myself, then that is my choice."

"While that's wonderful, I intend to make sure that you choose not to, at least not today." Again, he grabbed her, this time by the arm, and this time gave her a rather forceful pull. She was so astonished by the action that she initially didn't fight it, allowing him to pull her a handful of feet before she started fighting back.

"I said let me go!" She screamed, pulling away and rearing back to slap him when the unholy roar of the cannons interrupted their spat. Mhenlo's eyes bulged in fear, as he instinctively knew somehow that the two of them were pretty much right in the middle of the area of effect.

While he didn't have much knowledge in protective prayers… he did know one… that should hopefully shield one of them from the coming storm of destruction.

Cynn saw her body become enclosed in a form fitting sheath of light blue energy, not even a split second before the ground around her erupted upwards with violent fury. She closed her eyes and dropped to her knees through the deafening explosions of impact.

Surprisingly, after the first blasts, the firing again stopped, rather than the prolonged barrage she had been expecting. "Whew… nice job, monk… let's get going before they unload that Grenth-spawned death again."

But when she turned to where Mhenlo was supposed to be, he wasn't there. Her lips went slack as she came to realize what had happened… he couldn't… no, he's not that stupid… but damnit, he is that damned selfless…

Then she found him, sprawled twenty feet in front of her, face down on the broken, blackened earth. As she dashed closer, the color of fresh blood became visible, staining into the monk's normally impeccably white clothing.

"No… no… no…" Cynn repeated before dropped down beside Mhenlo and rolling him over. His eyes were closed, and his face and head covered in deep cuts and gashes. His clothing and rest of his body carried similar tears. While he obviously hadn't absorbed the worst of the attack… it had been enough… to…

"No!" The elementalist cried out to the heavens, clutching her wounded friend and ally into her chest and stomach, not caring at all that he was bleeding on her… her vanity completely cast aside by her grief. "Someone! Anyone! I need a monk here… please!"


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

Coran's departed father had once said to him that the toughest decisions to make were the ones that you knew you had to. At the time, the young prince hadn't understood what that had meant, and hadn't expected to be put in the position where he'd ever have to.

Now he understood.

His eyes, though the telescopic lens, were focused fervently on Cynn, valiantly carrying the either mortally wounded, or already slain, Mhenlo through the firing zone. The young king had held off on continuing the barrage for as long as he could, but it was vitally important that the Charr numbers be thinned… and that meant he couldn't wait any longer to resume firing.

As much as Coran was sure he would be mourning this decision for months, it was the order he had to make.

"Team One… prepare to fire on my mark…" Coran said, still reluctant to make the final order, waiting until the last possible second before he would have to issue a new firing solution.

Damn it… he couldn't do it.

He wasn't his father, and trying to be his father would only lead to failure. He could only be Coran, and the Coran that he was couldn't sacrifice his ideals, or his vow of life to Dwayna, by sacrificing his friends. Perhaps that was selfish… but that's who he was.

He handed off his horn and telescopic lens to the firing second, and said, "Call the order to abandon the cannons, and move to the battlefield… we make our stand now."

The Shade lieutenant was understandably perplexed, and blinked a couple times as Coran dashed away east down the wall towards the temporary stairwell assembled for their quick mobilization on the battlefield.

He ran past Yuu, who rolled her eyes as if expecting something along these lines. Yuu didn't even have to say a word, merely nodding to her lieutenant who seemed to understand exactly what she wanted done before the assassin took off after her friend and king.

Grazz noted the commotion, and knew what it meant. He didn't even bother trying to issue any orders to his team, and simply took stride dutifully to meet Coran and Yuu as all three reached the wooden stairway almost simultaneously. Coran gave them both a half smile, and said, "Yeah, I know… this damn altruistic fool is going to get us all killed."

"You wouldn't be you otherwise." Yuu replied with a sigh, taking the lead down the clattering wooden steps.

* * *

Coran was up to something, and Devona had the nagging suspicion she wasn't going to like it. She followed her husband-to-be with nothing but two wary eyes as he rushed along the top of the wall… then when she saw him disappear from sight down the north face, she cursed silently. She knew it…

She glanced back at the reservists, then down at her abdomen, torn with indecision. She had promised to stay back… but Grenth take it… if it came down to this ragtag bunch behind her, the battle was over anyway.

"Well… I suspect your father would disagree, but I think you'll make a fine warrior, little one." Devona said quietly, "Might as well get your first taste of battle now."

She knew she was being irresponsible, and by Balthazar, she didn't give a damn. Why was Coran the only one allowed to be reckless? "Stay here, and do not move." Devona ordered the reservists. Most of them were too shell shocked from the sounds of battle outside the wall to disagree, and the rest wanted nothing to do with one of Ascalon's most famous warriors.

The guards at the gate were a little more staunch in their objections, until one of them found Devona's Rinblade resting perilously close to the vital veins in his neck.

"One way or another, I am going through that gate. The only question is whether or not you will have your head attached to your neck when I do."

The guard gulped… he knew that the king would not approve of him letting the queen-to-be out onto the battlefield… but Devona had a very convincing argument resting underneath his chin, and a dangerous gleam to her eyes that didn't assure him her words were an idle threat.

"Tinsdale… open the gate." He finally said with a gulp. The second gate guard darted his eyes between the pair twice, then complied, but only enough so that Devona could slip through in a full sprint. Devona's gaze steeled as the battlefield spread out before her.

"Damned if we do, damned if we don't." the first guard muttered with a resigned sigh. Oh well, he knew a monk in the third battalion who would be willing to revive him…

* * *

"Grenth take you, you damn stupid monk, don't you dare die on me!" Cynn shouted with bitter anger, even though she knew that life had already fled from Mhenlo's body. If she didn't catch up to the line in time… damn it…

"Stupid, selfless, obnoxiously noble… I hate you… I absolutely loathe you… wake up so I can say it to your face…" The elementalist continued to rant as she fought back tears. She stumbled on a charred cropping of rock, and dropped to one knee, Mhenlo sliding off her shoulder as she tried to regain her footing.

At that point, Cynn fell to her knees, and collected her fallen friend one more time. It was no use… she wasn't going to make it.

"Damn you… why did you do this to me? You know why I was always so secretive about us… you know that the gods always take away the ones I love… but… you didn't care… don't leave me… please… don't leave me…"

Her hand caressed his cold, bloody cheek, her tears mixing with the crimson trail. "I promise I'll… I won't hide from you or anyone. I'll tell everyone and anyone how much I care about you… just… don't leave… don't go and leave me all alone again…"

The sounds of shouts and battle cries filled her ears, and she instinctively curled into a ball around her fallen comrade before realizing that the sounds weren't Charr, but human. She looked to the south quickly to see Barradin again leading the allied charge, and then curled up again in case one of the soldiers accidentally ran into her.

They didn't miraculously enough… but nonetheless, that didn't solve her immediate concern, as all the monks seemed to ignore her in lieu of the fighters along the battle line. She was about to demand attention when the shimmering blue-white glow of a Rebirth spell pulled Mhenlo from her arms. Following the path of energy, she found Mhenlo, restored of his serene vitality.

Apparently, Cynn's promise was true, because she wasted no time jumping to her feet, and nearly engulfing Mhenlo in a crushing hug. "If you ever do that again, I'll kill you."

"I'll make sure in the future that my death will be at your hands." He replied with a lopsided grin.

"As loathe as I am to interrupt true love as it is blossoming, there's a bit of a war going on… and our help would probably be needed." A snarky female voice grumbled, and that was when Cynn became aware that other human beings were watching.

To her credit, she didn't panic or step away as Grazz, Yuu, and Coran looked on bemusedly. "Coran, what are you doing out here… did you…?"

"Yeah, I rather need Mhenlo alive." Coran said.

"Quite… because you're going to need him to resurrect _you_." Another female voice threatened, the tone very displeased.

Coran turned to address Devona, but he cut him off before he could even say a word, "If you're going to endanger yourself recklessly, I don't see why I have to be the responsible one all the time. I say to hell with it. We're either all going to live, or we're all going to die. I'm not sitting back meekly while everyone else risks their lives for my benefit."

Barradin joined the small meeting moments later, and he was about to object to Devona's presence. "I had a hard enough time accepting the king coming down to the field of battle… but I figured you were far too sensible to put yourself…"

"Don't start into that, I beg you…" Coran said, holding up a hand. "For all our sakes… let it go."

"I'll be quite honest… I don't know what to make of the battle. Your cannons have definitely done the trick. The Charr are rattled, and they do not look like they want to fight… but it they haven't broken… it's like something is compelling them to keep pressing."

At that point, Grazz turned his attention northward, as if looking into space. He knew exactly who was responsible for the continued Charr pressure, and his gaze pierced through the chaos of battle, to where one particular chieftain was no doubt barking orders, overruling and perhaps even killing any dissenters.

Something had to be done before either Ascalon, the Charr tribes, or even both were crippled beyond recovery… and Grazz knew of one way to go about it, and would do one more favor for Coran in the process.

With a pair of deft movements, he snatched Devona's hammer from her back and her Rinblade from her waist. The exile Charr was gone in a flash before the warrior could even form a coherent protest, dashing towards, and eventually through the battle line.

"What in Balthazar's name is he doing?" Yuu asked. "Trying to get himself killed?"

"I'm not sure… but I suspect he's decided its time to conclude whatever unfinished business he has with his kin." Coran replied. "As do we. However, my dear Devona, since I noticed you aren't particularly well armed… perhaps it is prudent for you to return to the wall?"

"Yes… it is." Barradin remarked with a smile. "We'll win the day, preferably without worrying incessantly about the royal family."

The statement was punctuated by Yuu and Aiden giving the young king and his betrothed a not so gentle push in the back. "Get going." The assassin ordered darkly, giving Coran another push when she deemed he wasn't moving fast enough. "Go play with the cannons or something."


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

Grazz couldn't be entirely certain that it wasn't merely the heat of battle that allowed him easy access through the Charr ranks… that in the hectic maelstrom of activity, they weren't actively examining every being that dashed through to determine if they were on the same side.

But he also had the inkling that they knew _exactly_ who he was… and that they weren't stopping him because they knew that the Charr male Grazz was searching for needed to be stopped first.

Could that matted flea-ridden monster realize that the hearts of the Charr weren't in the battle anymore? Couldn't he see that to continue to press would be slaughter? Almost half of the invading force was dead, and the other half wanted nothing to do with the cannons along the top of the wall.

He found himself thinking about Coran, while a little out of place concerning the situation, it wasn't terribly surprising. Grazz was fairly certain that the human king had no real idea how alike they truly were…

* * *

Grazz frowned. At one time, the Great Northern Wall had been an admirable, if not frustrating, monument to the humans at odds with the great Charr prides. Now, it was nothing more than a sieve, doing nothing more than forcing the Charr to funnel through the openings rather than pouring into human lands

Grazz had not expected the Wrath of the Fire Gods to work… had not believed that it would mark the end of Ascalon and the rise of Charr dominance over the lands. But if the news he was gleaning from the few sympathizers he knew and from the eavesdropping he had done, the Charr had already overwhelmed Ascalon, pushed Kryta to the bring, and had sank the Kingdom of Orr into the sea.

Perhaps he had been wrong… perhaps he shouldn't have tried to challenge the conventional wisdom…

No, that was the beast within him speaking, and the Charr should strive to be more than mere beasts. There was much the Charr could learn from humans that would be a long painful process to learn on their own. To destroy all that knowledge was foolish… to seek to eliminate a potential path to enlightenment and sophistication merely out of racism and pride was madness.

The exile was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't immediately notice a solitary figure staggering through the wall. Now, Grazz had seen many a Charr come in and out through that particular breach. In fact, three squads had done so just today. But he had not seen a human do so… until now.

This particular man wasn't exactly what Grazz would call an imposing example of his kind. The dehydrated, half-delirious state he was in only contributed to that pathetic, weakly appearance.

The man crumpled, and Grazz approached warily. The human likely wasn't much of a threat, but there was no telling if there were others that might misinterpret the Charr's curiosity. By the time Grazz had reached the human, the man had forced himself up to his elbows, and the two found their eyes meeting.

Grazz had managed to discern much of the human language through his observations over the years, and thusly understood what the man said. "Well, brother, you'll finally get to see me dead after all…" The man said then slumped back to the ground.

Immediately, Grazz felt for the young man, as there were some things that crossed the racial boundaries. Grazz knew far too well what it was like to suffer the slings of a brother who would like nothing more than to see his demise…

* * *

Grazz saw his target appear through two Shamans who parted as they saw the exiled Charr charging forward. The grand chieftain of the Charr prides, who placed his claim to the highest spot of honor through blood, battle, and a promise to destroy the human lands. To Hrar Flamemane, his legacy depended on destroying Ascalon. A legacy that clashed with his younger brother's… and that led to said younger brother exiling himself from the prides rather than face his sibling in combat.

That legacy could not be allowed to continue.

Grazz had walked away because at the time, he had felt the reward hadn't been worth the risk. After all, he had thought the event the humans called "The Searing" had been a near delusional flight of fancy. Grazz made that mistake once… his human friends, Ascalon, and also the Charr, couldn't afford him to make it again.

Hrar reacted quickly to the coming threat, but not quickly enough, as Grazz brought him down with a bone-crunching shoulder tackle. Both Charr quickly regained their footing, and roared in challenge. Hrar of course, was looking forward to the opportunity to do what he had wanted to do years ago. Grazz ignored the threat, starting a slow circle to size up his opponent.

Hrar was at least a half head taller, with a more robust and built body shape, with a crudely designed and crafted single blade hooked axe as large as an average human's arm, and had the advantage of a shield. The hammer Grazz "borrowed" from Devona could neutralize that somewhat… but its slower attack might allow the elder brother an opening for a counterattack.

Nonetheless, the bigger concern was the shield, as long as Hrar had that, Grazz likely wouldn't be able to make any significant blow. Devona's hammer was just the thing to attempt to take care of that.

Grazz smiled in satisfaction as he felt the slight crack as the heavy head of the hammer struck against Hrar's shield, and then sprung back to avoid a midriff gouging slash from his brother's axe.

Definitely one of the things the Charr could learn from the humans was smithing and maintenance of arms and armor. The blades of the Charr were often weak and inferior, only the natural advantages of stature and strength making it seem like the weapons of Charr manufacture were even close to on par. Grazz's reinforced that personal point when the second blow of Devona's hammer split Hrar's shield in two and fractured the elder Charr's forearm.

Promising to apologize to Coran's mate for disrespecting such a finely crafted weapon, Grazz tossed the hammer carelessly aside, drawing the Rinblade from in time to intercept Hrar's axe. But the elder Charr reacted with a frenzied speed that Grazz was not expecting, and received a long painful gash along his off arm for the trouble.

The two brothers again circled warily, looking for an opening. Even with the superior weapon, Grazz did not like his chances against the larger Charr. Hrar's reach, strength, and perhaps quickness were all superior...

Grazz needed to be smarter. He had taken a page out of Devona's book to get to this point, and now it was time to take one out of Yuu's…

The feint didn't need much effort. After all, it isn't particularly hard to look overpowered when you really _are_ overpowered. Grazz teetered off balance after avoiding a frenzied trio of swipes and chops, and fell down soundly on his rump, his left leg kicking up, and allowing him to stealthily draw the assassin dagger that had been hidden in his calf bands.

Thus, the grand chieftain Hrar Flamemane received a nasty unpleasant surprise to his chest when he dove forward to deliver the final blow. The force of the impact caused the dagger to snap at the hilt, but by then, the damage had been done.

Hrar staggered back from the mortal wound to his stomach, and Grazz took the opportunity to regain footing, and deliver the killing blow, swinging with both hands across the hilt of the Rinblade, biting into the furred flesh of Hrar's neck, and popping the Charr chieftain's head clean off his shoulders as if the blade had done nothing more than hack at a stray weed.

Grazz didn't waste time admiring his surprise victory. The victor grabbed Hrar's severed head by the back of the mane, and skipped up a jagged rise where he hoped to be seen by as much of the Charr army as possible. From there, Grazz raised the gruesome trophy, and bellowed at the top of his lungs.

That served to draw the attention of the Shamans along the back lines, and the news slowly filtered down the ranks.

The Charr had a new grand chieftain, and he was mercifully calling for a retreat.

* * *

"Go play with the cannons, she said." Devona grumped, kicking the unsightly metal tube. To think such an ugly, pudgy machination could bring such terrible destruction. It seemed anti-climactic somehow. "To think I was afraid people would be reluctant to defy me as queen. That was truly a faulty assumption, wasn't it?"

Devona's ears then perked, as if through the din, she somehow heard a sound that was out of place. "Something's going on in the Charr ranks. Their battle cries have halted."

Coran gathered up his telescopic lens, and began scanning the field of battle. After a few seconds, he isolated on one solitary Charr sticking out above the melee. With a smile, he said,  
"Well, well… I knew there was something special about you, old friend. Devona, grab that horn next to your feet, and command a halt… I think this battle is done."


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

All was quiet on the northern front.

The Charr invasion was officially over, and in a two day summit, the Charr and Ascalon reached a peace accord. Devona suspected that the leaders of the two sides would like to pursue more than just peace, but that they acknowledged small steps would be the best course of action. With time, she figured the Charr would come to perhaps be a powerful ally to Ascalon…

… that was odd to think even _now_…

Coran had upheld his promise to the Mron, and even now, the survivors of that race were being escorted through the Shiverpeaks by the Deldrimor, and eventually through Krytan lands, with the end of this long pilgrimage being the Maguuma Jungle, which Arro claimed was meant to be their land parceled by the gods at the beginning of time. It made sense, Devona supposed… the jungles of Maguuma were unclaimed, and inhospitable by and large to any large scale human settlement. The Mron did seem much more suited to that landscape… not that Devona knew much about that sort of thing.

At any rate, Ascalon was safe… no one need die on the fields of battle, and there was no indication that anyone would do so in the near future. It should have been a time of great celebration, and of happiness… but any such rejoicing was subdued. Everything seemed blanketed by an invisible weight.

Devona didn't need her betrothed's genius to figure out what that feeling was. The land she was walking through told that tale with blackened, burned detail. She had always thought the land after the Searing was lifeless until she saw the desolation from Coran's cannons up close.

Both Mhenlo and Eve had occasionally spoken of the Bone Pits of the Underworld; of a cold, dark, empty landscape littered with the remains of countless damned. It seemed like the power Coran had unleashed had taken a small part of that horrific realm and drug it onto Tyria. In just two days time, scavengers had descended on the battle field, picking flesh clean, and leaving a blanket of scattered bone among the ravaged wasteland.

The warrior shivered. While having been exposed to battle, never before had she seen, or even imagined, death upon such a scale. Corpses as far as her eyes could see, ripped in pieces, strewn about across the burnt ground she now walked. Then finally, she saw her destination, the ledge and outcropping in which mere two days ago, Grazz had raised the head of his slain brother, and assumed leadership of the Charr… and where Ascalon's king sat, knees curled to his chest, staring vacantly across the battlefield.

"Coran… you can't stop beating yourself up like this." Devona chided softly as she worked around the more manageable slope behind her betrothed. "You did what you had to do… you saved Ascalon."

"Did I?" The king asked, not even turning to face her. "Or have I doomed it to an even worse fate than the Charr?"

"What… how could you think that?"

Coran gestured towards the devastation before them. "Did the Searing ever do that? Could anything the Charr have concocted come close to something so total? Not even _I_ have the knowledge to restore what I see here. This area is going to be sterile for years."

"But for what reason would we have to bring visit such destruction upon ourselves?"

Coran tossed a rolled up sheet of paper in her general direction. She picked up the sheet, unfurled it, and held it out from her body to examine it. "It looks like one of your cannons… a little different… but…"

"Examine the dimensions." Coran said, "That was a preliminary design for a 'personal cannon'… something the average person could carry around, theoretically for self-defense. I managed to convince the designer that his design wouldn't work… and it wouldn't… but it's only a matter of time before someone figures it out."

His head then contorted so that his profile was facing the Shiverpeaks. "Meanwhile, as much as I tried to keep the cannons secret, I am entirely certain that lunatic Budger Blackpowder gleaned more than enough information to replicate the weapon. I fully expect the Deldrimor to have working cannons within the end of the year. From there, Kryta… Cantha… and Grazz was more than familiar with them… imagine one day the Charr bringing a line of cannons that rival those along the Northern Wall. What then?"

"But…" Devona began, wanting to point out the state of peace between the various lands of the world, but knew from experience that such states could never seem to be long-lasting. War would emerge again, and if what Coran said was true, they would utilize weapons similar, if not better, than those Ascalon used against the Charr two days ago.

"I lied… when I said there was no connection between those Glint named in the Elements Quatrain. I… guess I didn't want to believe it myself." He said, his voice cracking under his self-inflicted guilt.

Devona sat down next to her bondmate, and circled one arm around his waist in a supportive gesture.

Coran didn't react, his eyes again straight ahead, as if boring into something far in the distance that only he could see. "The four that Glint foresaw were linked because they all had a common thread… they were all destined to facilitate great destruction. I think you personally saw what the Flameseeker was poised to do…"

"Khilbron nearly destroyed the entire world… you burnt up one already mostly dead strip of land."

"And how long will that last? I may not pull the trigger on the cannons or the handheld ballistic weapons of the future… but it will have been my influence that made them happen. One day… the people of this world will curse my name as they do the other great villains of the past."

"No!" Devona asserted. "I refuse to believe that. I think you underestimate the resiliency of humans, and of life in general. We'll adapt, we'll adjust. I just know that our people will never hate you for what you did. Without you, humanity would have been a memory… I'm sure of it… and if they curse you for that, then they deserve whatever barren, lifeless world they get."

That engendered a slight hint of a smile across the young king's mouth. "Always devoted, aren't you, my dear? Maybe if your version of events can keep hold through the generations, perhaps you'll be right."

He then finally stood, helping Devona to her feet with a gentlemanly hand. "Well, at any rate, we do have a wedding to plan for, don't we? I guess it doesn't suit for me to mope endlessly out here, now does it?"

Devona again wrapped her arm around her betrothed's waist, and took a slow, comfortable stride alongside Coran, forcing herself to pay no more attention to the wasteland around her, and hoping Coran would do the same. She knew he was only trying to accommodate her, and pretending to take his mind off whatever was troubling him… because she could sense it wasn't only about cannons.

Devona was getting better at reading her husband-to-be, because she was completely correct. In truth, the cannons had only proven to him that his math had been right. Who would have thought the link between matter and energy would be that immense? It left him at awe of the power of the gods, who apparently fashioned this entire world from the energies of the Rift.

But it also injected him with great fear… because he knew one day the final destroyer, the Holder of Earth, would harness the power that Coran had found in theory… and that it would spell the final days of Tyria…

… and perhaps the entire world…

He took a deep breath. That time was likely scores of generations off, and there was little that Coran could do now that would endure to stop that potential future. Sslani had often told him a proverb from the times of the earliest human civilizations…

"Give me the wisdom to accept that which I cannot change… and the strength to change that which I cannot accept."

"Hmm?" Devona asked.

Coran flushed slightly, realizing he had muttered that out loud. "Nothing dear… merely the barely coherent musings of your overly thoughtful bondmate. Perhaps I do worry far too much about the future… especially considering that the present looks to be remarkably bright indeed."

From the wall, they saw a petite figure waving animatedly. "There you two are!" The voice of Cynn drifted across the distance. "Devona, the wedding is in one month, and we have to get your gown sized as soon as possible! You've been stalling for weeks! We have to get it done _now_!"

Coran couldn't help but smirk at his love's forlorn expression. "Well… the present looks to be bright for one of us at least…"

"If you don't keep quiet, I am going to be unattached before we ever reach the wall." She grumbled.

**The End**


	39. Chapter 39

Author's Note: This really doesn't fit into the theme or style of the rest of the story… but you know what? Who cares? Every so often, I like to have some fun, and I fully intend to. Hearing Cynn's "MINE!" moment in Cantha got me started.

**Bonus Content**

Vows Made in Autumn

or

"That Monk is Mine!"

Cynn took a deep breath from the balcony and gently swirled the wineglass in her right hand… feeling remarkably clean air fill her lungs, as opposed to the musty, smoky taint of Ascalon prior. King Coran's restoration still wasn't complete (he had said on many occasions that it would be _at least_ three more years before anyone could rightly compare the kingdom to the rich, lush, green country from before the Searing), and that a great many things could yet go wrong in the process.

The elementalist figured Coran was being too hard on himself. Sure, the grass was still rather sickly looking, but no worse than it was after a particularly long drought. Maybe the waters weren't exactly sparkling clean yet... but it was pretty damn close in her estimation. All in all, it was many shades better than what it was.

A knock on the door drew her attention towards the interior of the chambers. Making sure her robe was tied tightly, Cynn responded to the summons, revealing the shaved head of one of the many sisters of the Temple of Rin… Melanie, if she remembered correctly.

"Oh, Madame Cynn!" Sister Melanie declared, "I would have assumed you would be preparing for the matrimonial ceremony!"

"Why?" Cynn answered with an exhausted breath. "I think I've earned a few hours of peace. I'm sure Devona can handle things for a while."

Suddenly, the elementalist's eyes narrowed, and her voice turned accusing, "Why are you here, anyway? You know perfectly well that Mhenlo is at the palace for the wedding."

Melanie started, waving her hands to ward off the famously volatile Cynn. "Yes, I do know that! Father Mhenlo sent me over because he forgot his formal sash, and couldn't leave to get it himself."

Cynn looked over to the open wardrobe, and sure enough, the length of royal blue velvet stitched with a representation of Dwayna in gold thread hung from the leftmost hook. Silly monk of hers… he'd leave his head behind if it wasn't attached to his neck.

"Well, you can return and tell that High Priest in training that his charming, lovely, and long-waiting amour will dutifully bring him his neglected article when she arrives at the palace shortly." Cynn said playfully. "I suppose its time I prepared and went over there anyway."

"I will do so." Melanie replied with a deep bow before retreating at full speed back the way she came.

Cynn pursed her lips at the sister's frightful flight then huffed indignantly. The elementalist thought she was being a lot nicer to people over the last few months. One would think they'd stop fleeing in terror the moment she frowned… at least eventually.

The elementalist sighed in resignation, and poured out the remains of her wineglass into the… plumbing (as Coran called it), setting the empty article back on the dining table, and collected her garment bag that contained her formal gown for the wedding. She supposed she had dallied long enough, and probably should head for the palace.

She had to turn about quickly and gather Mhenlo's sash, musing how embarrassing it would be to forget it after that outrageous message given to Sister Melanie. With both articles in hand, she stepped out of the nicely expansive homestead Mhenlo held as High Priest in waiting, and into the bright Ascalon sun.

The walk to the palace wasn't normally a long one… merely across the center district of Rin, but with all the bustle of people preparing for the "big moment", the going was significantly slower… even though people did give her a generous berth as they noticed who she was, making what would have been an impossible trek at least manageable.

Maybe having the whole of Ascalon afraid of her wasn't so bad after all…

Once the palace walls were in view, however, she happened to overhear a discussion that drew her attention. It was a group of children, young boys from what she could tell, apparently playing "war". That in and of itself wasn't surprising; after all, children often played such games without realizing the full meaning of what they were acting out.

What did cause her eyebrows to raise was the argument as to who would play what. She expected that the biggest complaints would be those chosen to be "Charr". This was not the case…

"Toby, you play the monk." The largest of the group ordered.

"But I don't want to!" The boy in question, one of the smaller children, protested.

"Do it or you don't play!"

The other children echoed the statement, and finally Toby stomped his foot, wiped his eyes to stave off tears, and said, "Fine! I won't play! I always play the monk! I'm sick of it!"

Toby then turned full about, running in a full sprint away from the other boys, seemingly oblivious to the blonde elementalist in his path. Cynn was so certain that the child would step out of the way that she couldn't react in time as he collided with her legs, knocking the child over and nearly toppling Cynn before she managed to correct herself with a slight flailing of her arms.

The young boy's eyes bulged in terror as he realized just who he had nearly knocked over, then curled into a ball on the ground as Cynn bent over him. He peeked out from behind his arms frightfully after three seconds to realize that the elementalist wasn't about to turn him to charcoal, but instead was offering her hand to help him up.

When Toby nervously accepted her assistance, Cynn turned a half grin and said, "I heard you fighting with the other boys."

Perhaps too scared to speak right away, the child only nodded.

"Now… why don't you want to be a monk?"

"Be… because…" Toby began with a stammer, "Because monks are stupid and weak. They just heal people, and then the big strong warriors get famous and get pretty girls."

Cynn's first instinct was to fume about the chauvinism inherent in males even at a young age… but resisted the urge. She was a nicer, friendlier, not fry-off-your-gonads-for-the-slightest-slight Cynn, and anyone who said otherwise was going to get a fireball in the mouth, Grenth take it.

Then she had an idea…

Cynn smiled warmly… or at least _tried_ to smile warmly, not having much practice at it, after all. "Do you think Queen Devona is pretty?"

Toby nodded, and Cynn added, "Well, King Coran's a monk… how is that possible if monks never get pretty girls?"

Toby's mind milled on that offered piece of information; and he worked to find a counter argument to support his predjudice. Eventually he found one that suited him. "But he's a king! Kings are even better than warriors!"

Cynn frowned ever so slightly… she had figured this child's simple mind would have been easily converted. Okay… this was going to take a serious effort.

She smiled again, this time in a smug, knowing fashion, and asked, "Do you think _I'm_ pretty?"

Now, Cynn could have looked like a mountain troll; but here was no way Toby (or anyone not of the "insane", "suicidal", or "catastrophically stupid" categories, for that matter) was going to tell the volatile elementalist that she wasn't anything short of the most beautiful feminine sample in the whole of the world. Thus, the young boy's response of, "Yes, ma'am," should have been of no surprise.

"Well then, come with me."

She took Toby by the hand, and continued to proceed to the palace, gesturing off the palace guards with a passive flip of her wrist and a simple, "He's with me."

Blinking warily, but knowing better than to question her, the guards allowed her and her young escort to pass through without delay. Toby's eyes grew wide as he beheld the palace courtyard where the upcoming marriage was to take place.

"There you are." Yuu grumped. Cynn turned, and barely fought off laughter. She wondered how much time and effort it had taken to force the assassin into the bridesmaid dress she now wore… and Cynn admitted to herself that she had chosen that light red color for the maids because it would not look particularly good on the almond skinned woman. "I trust your being fashionably late was justified?"

"Had I not dawdled, Mhenlo would hardly be properly prepared, and we'd have to wait anyway." Cynn retorted, holding up the monk's sash.

Finally, Yuu's attention turned to the child holding her hand tightly, "Who's the urchin?"

"Someone I'm trying to prove a point to."

Yuu snorted, and paid the two no further mind, striding off as if with great yet indiscernible purpose. "You think I'm sour… just try and get to know that girl sometime." The elementalist said, then escorted Toby further into the courtyard. She grinned brightly upon seeing the object of her search, and nearly wound up dragging the poor boy holding her hand towards the dais before she released the child and dashed up the few steps.

"Ah, so the lady has arri…" Mhenlo began before Cynn threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, quite adequately breaking his train of thought for the moment. "Well, while not unwelcome… I must say I am curious what has made you this affectionate…"

"Quiet." Cynn replied, placing a finger on his lips. "I'm recruiting for your order." She then turned to Toby, who was wide-eyed at the bottom of the dais. "So, do you still think monks don't get pretty girls?"

The young boy shook his head, and with that Cynn tapped Mhenlo's chest, and handed him the sash he left in the homestead. "I suppose I must get dressed… watch Toby for a moment, would you, love?"

Mhenlo gently wrapped the sash over his shoulders, looking bemusedly at the young boy in front of him, but before the monk could say anything, another voice had stepped in. "Yuu tells me that your soulmate has… adopted… a young boy from town."

Mhenlo chuckled, and said, "Really… Yuu said that, did she?"

Toby finally turned to face the unidentified voice, and turned rigid as a board to see the lavishly dressed King Coran, with a simple crown of gold around his forehead, and a bright red cape hanging off his trim shoulders.

Coran also forced back a laugh, and said, "Well… I believe her _exact_ words were, 'Mhenlo's little fire demon abducted a filthy creature from outside the palace'… but I could be mistaken."

"No, I do believe you are correct, dear." A woman's voice replied, and the Queen appeared at Coran's side, dressed in a magnificent dress of light aqua and lace, holding a bundle wrapped in rich purple velvet. "I just hope she isn't that acerbic as Allister becomes old enough to understand words."

She gently rocked the bundle in her arms, with Toby correctly identified as the infant prince. His attention was then captured by the king as he knelt down and asked, "What is your name, young man?"

"T… Tobias. Tobias Wesley." Toby stammered. "But… my friends call me Toby." The child suddenly remembered he was supposed to do something when addressing the king.

Coran seemed to sense this, and said, "Oh, don't bow, dear boy. You are in the presence of friends." He stood, and his hand went to his chin in thought. "Wesley… Wesley… oh yes… the weavers in Adelbern Square. Devona love, could you have a messenger deliver word to the Wesley family that their son is here in the palace, and they can come retrieve him at their leisure anytime after the wedding?"

"I'm… not in… trouble… am I?" Toby asked nervously.

"No, of course not." Coran said with a shake of his head, again kneeling to the boy's eye level. "In fact, when I was about your age, I stumbled upon a commoner's homestead, and they watched over me until my father could recover me. It's only fair that I return the favor every so often… right, dear?"

Devona snorted with light mirth, a very unladylike gesture that highlighted her less than ladylike profession. "Yes… I suppose it is." She then retreated towards the edge of the courtyard, likely to fulfill her husband's request.

"Now young man… why don't you come with me, and we'll get you cleaned up a bit; can't do to be mussed before a wedding. Cynn's worked very hard to make sure that her wedding day is as perfect as possible, after all… and let me assure you that you don't want to see her angry…"


End file.
